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Shepley Bombs Southland Raiders
By PHIL CLARK
T-J Sports Writer
Once in a while in covering
sports, a writer gets a chance to see
something out of the ordinary.
Friday night out at the Hornets’
Nest, one of those extraordinary
performances occurred as Westfield's
junior guard Matt Shepley put on a
shooting demonstration that had
everyone in awe. Shepley had one
of those shooting nights you hear
about, but seldom see as he bombed
eight three pointers in eight
attempts to help the Hornets beat
the Southland Raiders 102-77.
Shepley had an unusual night, in
fact, as he was perfect from three
point range and from the foul line,
and missed all of his two point
attempts! Shepley ended the night
with 26 points, all in the first three
quarters.
The Hornets picked up their
eleventh win of the year and
improved their region lAAA record
to 3-0 with the victory. Southland
is 8-5, 1-2 under Perryan Cater
Pierce. Southland took a first
quarter lead, using just three players
in scoring 24 first quarter points.
O'Neal Cason, Will Easterlin and
Jason Kanazawa each scored eight
for the Raiders, who led 24-21 alter
one quarter. Shepley had two of his
three-pointers in the first and Ben
Hulbert added another, but Cason's
buzzer-beating trey gave Southkuul
the lead.
In the middle two quarters, the
Hornets scored a total of 63 points
as Shepley canned four three
pointers in the second and two more
in the third quarter. Meanwhile,
steady Brian Nash was turned in his
usual solid game on the bo;ird and
in scoring, as the smooth shooting
junior scored 20 for the Hornets as
Jim Massey got double figure
scoring from six players for the
first time this year.
But Pierce’s Raiders wouldn't go
away as they kept relying on just a
few players to do the scoring. In the
second quarter, it was David Rumph
who did most of the damage,
scoring all of his fifteen points in
the second as Kanazawa aided four
more.
But in the third, the Hornets
superior numbers began to take it's
toll as Shepley, Nash, Todd
Rigdon. Jake Walls, Ben Hulbert
and Keith Davis combined for 32
third quarter points as Westfield
stretched their advantage to 23
points, 84-61. Shepley and Walls
each had two three-pointers in the
third while the small, scrappy
Kanazawa continued to perform
nicely for the Raiders, picking up
another ten points.
With the game well in hand and
Lady Panthers Halt Skid,
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Matt Shepley, Westfield junior guard, lays up two points in the Hornets' 102*77 win over
Southland Friday night.
the spectators watching the
scoreboard, the Hornets hit 00 at
the 6:14 mark, and two minutes
later were at 05. Points 07 and 08
came with 3:20 lett. and everybody
by now expected the Hornets to hit
a hundred. They did it on a three
Max Vickers said "I've got to
simplify our offense a little. I've
tried to get them to do too much,
and I feel I've confused them.”
Well, even though he didn't have
two of his top players for the
Saturday night game with cross
county and region rival Houston
County, Vickers' team responded
witn; a sub-region win, beating the
Lady Bears for the second tune this
season.
With Natalie Taylor and
Monique Kendrick out with knee
injuries, Vickers had to shuttle
players in and out trying to find a
combination that would click.
Finally, he did it with freshman
Felicia Scott, who c;une off the
bench to score-ten points including
eight in the decisive fourth quarter
as Perry held on for a 46-39 win.
The victory snapped a three game
losing skid for the Lady Panthers.
Taylor has that recurring knee
problem, while Kendrick was
injured while celebrating the
Panthers' dramatic overtime victory
last week at Peach County.
Kendrick is expected back this
week, while Taylor could be held
out until the following week, since
Friday and Saturday g;unes are not
region games.
Perry battled from behind in a
slow, methodical first half as they
were able to hit just four field
goals. The Lady Bettrs clung to a
slim 18-15 lead at the half. But in
the third quarter, Perry begun to
push the ball upcourl a little taster
while playing it tough, tight defense
to take control the game. Shenitia
Gilbert fed Yatosha Davis on a fast
break layup with 5:50 left in the
(See LADY PANTHERS, Page 7B)
Houston Times-Journal
poimer out of the left comer by
senior Keith Davis with 2:52 left in
the g;une.
Shepley had 26. Nash 20, Walls
16, Rigdon 12 and Hulbert and
Davis scored eleven each and Greg
Adams had four. For Southland,
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Timt* Pholo Rle
Erik Felton waits on the official verdict in wrestling match
against Warner Robins.
Perry High To Host
Wrestling Tournament
By PHIL CLARK
T-J Sports Writer
There'll be a lot of moaning and
groaning coming from the Perry
High gym this weekend as Perry
hosts the fifth annual Perry
Invitational Wrestling tournament.
For the 28 schools participating in
the tournament, it will be the final
tuneup for the area tournaments
which will follow a week later.
This weekend's action gets under
way Friday at 5 p.m. as many of
the schools will enter wrestlers in
all fourteen weight classes. Perry
will wrestle ten individuals.
Wednesday Jan. 25,1995
Pierce relied on his Montezuma
connection for 58 of his team's 77
points with Kanazawa getting 22,
Rutnph 15, Easterlin 12. Lloyd
Turley had 7 and David McDuffie
scored two O'Neal Cason had
eight, all in the first quarter.
Saturday, the semi-finals begin
at 9 a.m. followed by the wrestle
back, or consolation matches, and
then the finals. Four mats will be
used in the tournament, so there
will always be plenty of excellent
wrestling going on.
Teams in the competition
include class AAAA Shiloh, one of
the favorites to win their
classification this year. Griffin,
another AAAA school, will also be
on hand, along with two of the top
ten class AA teams in the state,
number 5 Cook County and
(See WRESTLING, Page 7B)
A Replacement Roster
For The Baseball Strike
Page 6A
So let the baseball strike
continue. Since I've been in a
nostalgic mood of late, I thought I'd
put together a replacement team
spring training roster from players I
have watched and even played with
from the fifties and sixties. Ed
Pierce of Perry told me "it might
take a little while to work some of
these guys into shape, but they
could play in their time." I agree.
Some have passed on to that great
baseball team in the sky, but during
their day, when just about every
community had a 'town team’, these
folks were mighty good. I’ve
assembled a team, most of whom
would "play for less than a million
dollars a year", Ed Pierce told me.
One could really assemble a
pitching staff! Take Oscar Williams
of Montezuma, Bubba Pierce and
Billy Bledsoe of Perry, Ken Crazier
of Byromville and Grover Lambert,
who played in Byromville, Lilly
and Montezuma. They would make
up my starting rotation. Williams
had a blazing fastball and a great
curve. He had great stamina and arm
strength. Rarely tired. He could
pitch both games of a double
header, once pitched a no hitter, and
pitched a complete game, 16-inning
victory in which he struck out 28
batters. Bubba Pierce was in
Williams' class. He was a cagy
veteran who always seemed to be
two or three pitches ahead of a
batter. A thinking mans pitcher.
Bledsoe was another outstanding
Perry pitcher. He was good enough
to play pro ball for a while, and
later was a scout. Ken Crazier had a
wicked underhand delivery that was
simply baffling. Besides, he could
throw the daylights out of it!
Graver Lamberth, in his early
years, was a superb pitcher, but
later played most positions on the
field. He was perhaps the most
versatile player of the era. On the
mound, he had a good fastball, a
good curve, and a gritty
determination.
Let’s round out our spring
tntining staff. Long relievers would
include big. strong Boot Hunt of
Perry and Cliff Coggins of
Cochran Both could start, and as
long relievers; would be capable of
coming into a game early and going
the rest of the way. Cliff West, a
hard thrower from Lilly, Mac
Kitchens, another hard thrower from
Vienna and Gerald Daniels of
Unadiila would be others I’d put in
the long relief rales.
My set-up pitchers would
include crafty Ed Pierce of Perry,
Carl Roberts of Lilly, Frank
Jackson of Bonaire and Howard
Davidson of Centerville. My closer
would be Percy Hardy of Perry, a
fierce competitor with a bulldog
tenacity.
That's a pretty darn good
pitching staff. Now, we need some
catchers! There were many
outstanding receivers in that era.
Tom Dykes of Cochran was
probably the best all around. A
solid hitter with home run power.
Dykes was an outstanding handler
of pitchers. Roy Baggett of
Montezuma was another good one.
He had a great arm, was a good
hitter with occasional home run
power. Dan Mclnvale of Lilly was
the catcher for two members of our
pitching staff, Roberts and West.
He, too, had a great ;trm and was a
solid defensive catcher. Jack Hardy
of Perry was a big, rugged
individual who just plain looked
like a catcher. Jack Doles of Fort
Valley was a big, raw-boned left
hand hitter who was as touch as
nails. Tommy Mooney of
Montezuma was made in the Cragi
Biggio mold. He Uxtked more like a
second baseman than a catcher. But,
boy, was he a tough cookie, and a
solid single and double hitter.
First basemen were plentiful,
too. Elwyn Greer of Unadiila would
be among them. He bad a sting as a
pro player and was a very smart
hitter who would always hit his
pitch, not the pitcher's. P.E.
W.trren of Hawkinsville was a left
handed hitter who hit the ball as
hard as anyone. Strib McCants of
Bryan Adrian Summer Basketball Camp
Registration is now open for the
17th Annual Bryan Adrian Summer
Basketball Camp. Boys and girls
ages 5 through 18 are eligible.
Included on the 1995 Summer
Camp Staff are: Jerry Stackhouse
(UNC), Rasheed Wallace (UNC),
Randoph Childress (Wake Forest),
George Lynch (NBA), Donald
Williams (UNC), Drew Barry (Ga.
Tech), Jeff Mclnnis (UNC), Chris
Corchiana (NBA), Pat Sullivan
(UNC), Derrick Phelps (NBA),
Junior Burrough (UVA), and Jason
Williford (UVA).
jdttk PhiiPL
H Clark I
jIkS I
Fort Valley was very much like
him. Wilbum Hartman of Bonaire
was probably the best defensive
first baseman of the era. He was
great with the glove, and also a
solid hitter. John Williams of
Montezuma was a solid, left handed
hitter and outstanding with the
glove. A college catcher, he could
also play the outfield. A very
versatile player you could list in
several positions.
Middle infielders would include
Baby Fowler of Montezuma, a
decent glove man, though with
limited range. But he could fiat out
hit. He was also the team clown,
you know, the guy who always
keeps everybody loose! Cecil
Howard, who played at Perry, was
the best shortstop of the era. A
great hitter and outstanding
defensive player. Skeet Chapman
played second base at Perry, and he
was another solid player at bat and
in the field. Gene Bailey of
Montezuma played shortstop, had
blazing speed and was one of the
toughest to strike out of that era.
Jimmy Medlin of Cordele played
second base professionally for a
short while. He also pitched some.
Dewey Brantley of the Dooly High
community was also a versatile
player who would give you a good
days work at several positions. Hap
Jones of Hawkinsville and Cochran
was another. Jones also had
outstanding power, and could play
shortstop, third or the outfield. Bob
Green of Montezuma was the best
third baseman you'd find anywhere.
He didn't play the position 'pretty',
but was rugged, made few errors
and knew how to positions hitters.
He could also hit, and with power.
Some other middle infielders
we'd have to take along include
Lewis Bledsoe of Perry, Frank
Fennell of Fort Valley. Bob Jones
of Cochran, and third basemen Ray
Hambrick of Byromville and Wally
Bassett of Byron, whose arm injury
cut short a promising pro career as
a pitcher.
Let's move to the outfield. W.C.
Jones of Montezuma would be a
centerfielder. He was big for a
centerfielder, but he amid run like a
deer. He had good power; and a
strong arm, but sometimes had a
weakness for curve balls. Billy
Irwin of Unadiila could hit the hall
as hard as anybody. Tall and rangy,
he was also a top defensive
outfielder. Glenn Cassell of Vienna
was another good one, and so was
Ed Thompson of Perry, a fleet
centerfielder who could really aiver
the ground. Farrer Stembridge of
Americas and Montezuma was a
solid left handed hitter with a super
attitude, but very competitive. He
became a green beret, and an
instructor in the ranger school at
Fort Benning. Mack Lockerman of
Montezuma was also a solid
defensive centerfielder who had
perhaps the strongest and most
accurate throwing arm of the era.
Others I would want to take
along include Aldene Lasseter, Lory
Dunter, Pete Hunt and Ed Chapman
of Perry; Whit Reaves of Cochran;
Ed Casey of Warner Robins and
Fred Bailey of Montezuma, who
would be my designated hitters.
Casey hit right handed, Bailey left
handed. Bobby Lamberth of
Montezuma, an infielder, and his
brother J.C., and outfielder and
pitcher, would also be invited.
Managers and coaches? Clint
Hardy of Perry, Bob Massee of
Hawkinsville, Bill Collins of
Unadiila, Joe Matt and J.C. Lowe
of Montezuma All of them devoted
years to serving as managers. I'm
just sorry most of you didn't get a
chance to see these fellows play. As
Oscar Williams told me, "we played
because we loved the game.
Besides, we didn't have anything
else to do."
There are several locations
including Charlotte, N.C.;
Greensboro, N.C.; Banner Elk,
N.C.; Hickory, N.C.; Mount
Olive, N.C.; Elkin, N.C.;
Gastonia, N.C.; Spartanburg, S.C.;
Greenville, S.C.; Atlanta, Ga.;
Chattanooga, Tenn.; Lynchburg,
Va.; and Elkins, W.Va.
The Bryan Adrian Basketball
Camp is recognized as one of The
Top Teaching Programs in the
county.
For a brochure call (704) 37?,-
3236.