Newspaper Page Text
Crappie season is here—7A
Sports
Veto F.
Roley
Sports editor
Perry softball
teams finish
'94 season
The first sport of the high
school season is over.
Less than six weeks after the
first pitch was thrown, the area's
high school softball teams put up
the bats and balls and wait until
next year. And, all in all, it wasn't
a bad year for the two teams.
Last year, the Panthers won just
one or two games. I don't know the
exact total since the Home Journal
was going through a change of
sports editors and Perry was not re
ally getting covered, and you can
always tell what kind of year a team
is having by the willingness of a
coach to call in information. The
Panthers were also the subject of a
Title IX investigation, of which
enough has been said this year.
The Panthers finished the season
above .600, claiming second in the
sub-region. Only a hard fought loss
in Jackson prevented the Panthers
from going further than they did.
Kelly Britsky has done a great
job as the coach of the Panthers.
It's hard to find any criticism of the
job that she did; and, the fact that
there are a very, very few disgrun
tled rumblings heard is also good
since one of the best signs of a bad
job is having everybody happy.
Please see Roley, page 8A
—Phil L
Wm Clark I
uiiWLs I
Phil Clark
predicts the
weekend
Oops! A 7-3 week certainly
doesn't do much for your season's
percentages in this picking busi
ness!
Last week's games bring up a
couple of interesting questions,
though. First, are the Houston
County Bears really down that
much from last year’s playoff sea
son? And, secondly, are the Peach
County Trojans really down that
much after three years of challeng
ing serously for the AAA state
championship.
Both teams lost Friday night,
Houston County to Bleckley and
Peach to Swainsboro. The other
miss was the Baldwin win over
Lakeside Evans.
Houston County has dropped to
1-3, but more importantly, 0-2 in
region 3AA. The Bears get a chance
for redemption Saturday night,
though, as they host 1-4 Harris
County. And the Bears will get
their first region victory over the
Tigers. Phil's pick, Houston
County. <
Peach, by the way, is idle this
week.
Westfield opens the region
lAAA part of their schedule Friday
night at Windsor as they meet
former Hornet player Ricky Ellis,
now the Windsor head coach.
Windsor has lost three in a row,
but the losses came against three
pretty good teams, Tattnall, Mount
de Sales and Brentwook. This could
be a close game for a while, but the
Westfield defense won't give the
Knights much and Westfield's
speed will produce enought points
for their sixth win. Phil's pick,
Westfield.
Stratford at Southland. Region
openers, here, too. Stratford, as
Westfield, could be looking ahead a
week to their meeting Oct. 14, but
there's not likely to be a slipup.
Southland beat Terrell Friday night
to halt a three game winless streak,
but they won't be able to keep up
with the Eagles. Phil's pick,
Stratford.
Warner Robins at Central.
Central is 3-1, but their three wins
have come against teams with just
two wins among them. That's not
enough to mount a threat to the de
fensively-tough Demons.
The game is at Central, but that
doesn't matter. Warner Robins
Please see Clark, page 7 A
Hornets whip
Tiftarea 46-8
By Phil Clark
Special to the HTJ
It was expected to be easy, and it
was. The Westfield Hornets traveled
to the small Tift County commu
nity of Chula Friday night with a
mission...to gain for Coach Ronnie
Jones his career victory number
150.
It turned out to be a game in
which Jones could play everybody
he brought to the game. In all, 12
Hornets handled the ball, six of
them scored touchdowns in the lop
sided 46-8 victory.
Tiftarea coach Ron Drummonds
speculated after the game that
"Westfield should be in the state
championship game again. We are
young, and we don't have a lot of
boys out for the team, but even so,
Westfield was just the dominant
team tonight."
Drummonds, many may recall,
once coached at Macon County
High School, and was the architect
of the program that has been so
successful for C.B. Cornett. In fact,
it was Drummonds who hired
Cornett as a Macon County assis
tant.
Tiftarea won the toss of the
coin; but, that was the only thing
that went their way all night and
that wasn't for long. Taking Alex
Gambill’s kickoff around the five,
Tiftarea’s Scott Ewing fumbled
around the 20, and J.R. Moore re
covered for the Hornets.
The Hornets quickly capatilized
with Brian Staines, Michael Davis
and John Morton chewing up the
yardage. Morton went over from
twelve yards out for the game's first
score, early in the first quarter. A
little razzle-dazzle produced a two
point conversion as holder Matt
Shepley took the snap and tossed to
wingback Davis coming around to
the right side, and Davis went in
untouched for ai>B-0 lead.
The defense got into the act early
as linebacker Brian Nash picked off
a John Cavahaugh pass at the
Westfield 48 and rambled 52 yards
Panthers end season
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
After losing their chance to win
the sub-region championship last
week with losses to Houston
County and Dodge County, the
Panthers ended their season
Thursday, losing two of three
games to Jackson in the region
playoffs.
"We had a real good year," said
Panther head coach Kelly Britsky.
"I was really impressed with the
girls and proud of them.
"They made a lot of improve
ment. They learned how to win,
they learned what it took to win."
Britsky said that her team had
dodged the bullet all year from its
Panthers remain undefeated in region, beat Jackson
KI- <aßwjF-'. 'J&'/ ffiaA - H
. jgwSf V* wEI ’ • V; ■.}'■;%&'. ~. ', '; J L S;'v
% IrapgHHp
BfeHaL* in M HI JMk
• M |TJ Rr"^PHBHHL
p»i BiHL »p
■i Jf,jpv MjMmm
'*' l|L, vv v ,'* r "* '’' s||py
Jackson quarterback Jason Pipkin (#l7) had a long night Friday against the
Panthers. Here three defensive linemen are in search of quarterback meat: Jamal
Dean (#64), Andy Johnston (#77) and Bruce Rider (#59).
down the right sidelines for the
score and the first of six straight
Gamble PATs made it 15-0, still in
the first quarter.
The rout continued in the second
quarter as Morton got his second
score of the night on an 8-yarder
midway through the second quarter.
Staines later added a 23-yard TD run
and again Gamble was true on the
PAT and the score was 29-0, with
time still left on the second quarter
clock.
There was time enough, in fact,
for the Hornets to practice another
of their weapons, the field goal.
Moving the ball down to the
Tiftarea 19, the drive stalled, but
Jones called on Gamble for a 36-
yard field goal try, and the senior
nailed it through the uprights as
Westfield took a 32-0 halftime lead.
The second half saw a procession
of young running backs behind
sophomore quarterback Ben
Hulbert. Hulbert and senior Michael
Williams scored second half touch
downs to build a 46-0 lead before
Tiftarea scored late in the game.
The Hornets gave up the six
points on a three yard run by Scott
Ewing after freshman quarterback
Cavanaugh used split end Earl Hill
and Ewing to move the ball down
field. A two point conversion made
the final score 46-8 in a game that
was over around 8:30 p.m., for all
practical purposes.
Ronnie Jones came to Westfield
last year after three years at GHSA
Calhoun County, where his team
was 24-9. He had previously
coached at Brookwood in
Thomasville for 11 years, winning
two state championships ('B3 &
'BS), so he is no stranger to the
winners' circle.
Jones was very humble in talk
ing to a reporter after the game.
Jones was heard to say, "Winning
150 games just makes me feel old."
He is, by the way, 16-3 simce com
ing to Westfield, with one of those
losses coming in the state final last
year.
inability to hit. The Panthers hit
around .300 for the season, which
is not a good mark in slowpitch
softball.
"We were able to get the hits
that we needed at the right time,"
said Britsky.
However, the Panthers started
the three game series with a win in
Perry Wednesday.
For much of the year, the
Panthers had problems with the
first inning. However, Wednesday,
it would be the first inning that
would propel the Panthers to the
first win.
With one out, Amber Fendley
would and Marnie Mills would
Please see Panthers, page 7A
Wednesday
Oct 5,1994
6A
Westfield head coach Ronnie Jones won his 150th game Friday night as the Hornets
dominated Tiftarea 46-8. Jones is shown with quarterback Matt Shepley and trainer
Mike Edgars.
Jones collects number 150
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
Westfield Coach Ronnie Jones accomplished some
thing that very few coaches at any level accomplish
during their careers, he won his 150th game as the
Hornets dominated an overmatched Tiftarea team 46-8.
"I have always been fortunate," said Jones, after jok
ing that 150 wins means that he is getting old. "I have
always had good athletes and good help in good assis
tants and good coaches.
"There have been a lot of coaches, good coaches,"
Jones continues, "but, they have not been at the right
place at the right time.
"I wouldn't change anything for the world."
Even though Jones credits others with much of suc
cess, his record speaks for itself. In 18 years as a head
coach, he has never had a losing season, with his worst
year being a 5-5 mark at Brookwood his last year on
the job. Jones' career mark stands at 150-56-1, an out
standing .729 winning percentage. His 1983
Brookwood team finished the season with a perfect 13-
0 record, winning the state championship, one of three
that Jones has won.
Jones not only has a great career record, but he has
done it either building programs or rescuing programs.
He started the Woodland Christian program, winning
his first state championship in the first year of the pro
gram. At Calhoun County, he took a team that had
lost 18 straight games and guided them to a 10-2 win
season just three years after taking over the program.
Even Westfield has improved under Jones. After go
ing 7-4-1 in 1990, the Hornets suffered through two
losing seasons the next two years, winning just two
games in 1991 and four in 1992. In Jones' first year at
the helm at Westfield, the Hornets were state runner
up, finishing with an 11-3 mark.
Jones received his first head coaching job at
Woodland Christian in Phenix, Ala., starting the pro
gram at the school. Woodland Christian didn't have a
football field or a gym when Jones started practice in
1976.
"We practiced in a man's pasture," said Jones of his
first practices. "We had to run around chickens and
guinea pigs."
Although Jones remembers losing his first game, he
didn't lose to many games there after, leaving the
school after three years with 19 wins.
After leaving Woodland, Jones went to Brookwood
where he coached for 11 years and won 90 games. At
Brookwood, Jones was also women's basketball coach
for one year, where he coached Julie Moran, who ap
pears on ABC's Wide World of Sports.
Also at Brookwood, Jones applied his coach's Midas
touch to men's basketball and baseball. While his
men's basketball team was not as successful as the
baseball and football teams, Jones says his three years
show a winning mark. In 11 years on the diamond,
Jones won one state championship—his 1986
Of old soda fountains—7A
Houston Times- Journal
By VETO F. ROLEY
Sports Editor
The Panthers maintained their
top ranking in GHSA 3-AA with a
21-14 beating of the Jackson Red
Devils Friday night in the Panther
Pit.
The game was a hard fought de
fensive battle, with the Panthers
managing just one drive on the
night, an 11 play drive in the third
quarter that ended with Kiwaukee
Thomas’ 23 yard touchdown scam
per.
The other two touchdowns con
verted by the Panthers were on a 90
yard kickoff return to start the game
by Dexter Kendrick and a 62 yard
run late in the game by Thomas,
which gave the Panthers a 21-7
lead.
Throughout most of the night
the Red Devils seemed to have the
Panther offense stymied, with Perry
getting only six first downs on the
night and 193 yards total offense.
And, although the Perry defense
bent all night, they did not break.
Jackson helped the defense by going
to the air, despite the effectiveness
of William Smith, who had 147
yards on 16 carries, including a 65
yard run to start the game that tied
the game at seven each.
"We can't live with prosperity,"
Ronnie Jones' Record
Year Team Rec. Pact.
1976 Woodland Christian, 7-3-1* .682
Phenix City, Ala.
1977 Woodland Christian 6-4 .600
1978 Woodland Christian 6-5 .545
1979 Brookwood Schools, 8-2 .800
Thomaston, Ga.
1980 Brookwood Schools 7-4 .636
1981 Brookwood Schools 8-3 .727
1982 Brookwood Schools 8-3 .727
1983 Brookwood Schools 13-0* 1.000
1984 Brookwood Schools 8-4 .667
1985 Brookwood Schools 11-3* .786
1986 Brookwood Schools 8-2 .800
1987 Brookwood Schools 8-3 .727
1988 Brookwood Schools 6-4 .600
1989 Brookwood Schools 5-5 .500
1990 Calhoun County H.S., 7-3 .700
Edison, Ga.
1991 Calhoun County 8-3 .727
1992 Calhoun County 10-2 .833
1993 Westfield Schools, 11-3® .786
Perry, Ga.
1994 Westfield Schools 5-0° 1.000
#=State championships @=State runner-up
°=Year-to-date
Years School Rec. Pact.
3 Woodland Christian 19-12-1 .609
11 Brookwood Schools 90-33 .732
3 Calhoun County H.S. 25- 8 .758
2 Westfield Schools 16-3 .842
18 Total 150-56-1 .729
Brookwood team beat Westwood for state honors, giv
ing him his second championship against the Wildcats
with his football team beating Westwood in 1985 for
the top trophy.
At Calhoun County, Jones' team served notice early
in the season that they were through playing patsy.
Morale was so bad in Edison that only 14 players
showed up for Spring training.
However, morale took a big boost when Calhoun
returned the opening kickoff 84 yards for a touchdown
against Taylor County. "All the stands were silent,"
said Jones.
Later, Jones would take his Calhoun team into
Montezuma to face perennial power Macon High
School, which was undefeated, with the two teams
settling the game in overtime.
Macon County scored on its possession and went
for one, putting the pressure on Calhoun. Jones and his
team responded, charging into the endzone. They then
went for two, with Calhoun County completing the
two point play, making the score 8-7.
Perry head coach John Stephens
said, noting that the play happened
right after the kickoff return that
gave Perry the early lead. He added
that the play was the "favorite play"
of the Red Devils. "It wasn't some
thing that we were not familiar
with. There was no shock, no sur
prise. We never touched that guy."
However, Bobby Robinson
called for the pass, and the Perry
secondary refused to let the pass go
through. Red Devil quarterback
Jason Pipkin was just six of 19 on
the night for 90 yards and a touch
down.
The Panther front line, lead by
Antwann Fann and Billy McDaniel,
met often around Pipkin, hitting
him on almost ever play. Pipkin
was sacked six times on the night
for a net loss of 47 yards, giving
the Red Devil passing attack a net
gain of 43 yards on 25 plays.
"I was really surprised when they
ran the ball like they did, that they
went back to the pass," said
Stephens. "The defense really
knocked people around."
Although Thomas kept the ball
too long on several option plays,
the junior quarterback showed his
athletic poweress on the two long
touchdown runs.