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Tarvish Felton fulfilling his dream at SUU
Perry native playing basketball for 5>500-student state school in Cedar City y Utah
By GARY REED
Southeast Utah University
Journal Staff Writer
CEDAR CITY, Utah Why is Tarvish A.
Felton, aka “Quiet Riot,” so quiet? Is it because
he is sneaky or maybe he has something to
hide? Or is it because he has a good strong
upbringing and a lot of humbling experience.
Felton was raised by his mother, Dorothy B.
Releford; his grandma, and his sister. Felton’s
father, Thomas B. Felton, was absent early in
his life. But as he grew older, he and his father
grew close.
Felton gives credit to his grandma for teach
ing him how to handle tough situations and to
be understanding. He realized he would need to
use these skills some time in his life.
In September of 1996, Felton had an espe
cially tough situation to go through and he had
to use everything his loved one’s had taught
him.
His father passed away of natural causes just
before school was to start at Southeast Utah
University. Felton had to decide whether to
stay in school or to go home, but the decision
wasn’t that hard. He knew his father wanted
him to attend college and play ball.
So why is Felton known as Quiet Riot? To
fully understand, the name needs to be broken
into two definitions.
Felton is “Quiet” because he sits quietly
thinking to himself and preparing for his
games. What does he think about? Is it his
grandma-his “pride and joy,” his sister and the
Former PHS Coach
Herb St. John is
honored by his players
By RICK JOHNSTONE
For the Times-Journal
Back in the late summer of
1954 a young coach came to Perry
to lead the Perry Panther football
fortunes.
Herb St. John remained head
coach long ejibogh tq not only
compile an impressive 92-51-7
record, but, more importantly, to
have a profound impact on the
young men he coached.
Those players had a surprise
party for the man they simply
called “Coach” March 20 at
Houston Lake Country Club.
“He deserves all they give
him,” said G.H. “Glenn”
Duckworth, one of the players on
the early team. “He had the play
ers’ welfare at heart.”
The man who served as team
doctor during those football cam
paigns, Dr. Gene Weems, remem
Spring Prep tennis action in Perry
MggiaKpiit. y-
Timas-Journal Photos by Eric Zollars
SPRINGTIME AND TENNIS IN PERRY Prep tennis players are at center court during the brief spring high school tennis season. Caught in action at courts in Perry
are (from left) Meyur Vashi for Westfield, who won a match against FPD; Bristol Sullivan of Westfield, who won against FPD; Keri Eckhart of Perry High, who won over East
Laurens and Daniel Wright of Perry High, who also won over East Laurens.
Perry boys keep record perfect at 5-0 in tennis
By PHIL CLARK
Times-Journal Sports
The Perry High School Boy’s
Tennis Team ran their record to 5
and 0 last week by defeating the
West Laurens Raiders 5-0 and the
East Laurens Falcons, 4-1. Both
matches were played in PerTy at
Rozar Park. The win pushed the
This year Felton played a key
role at small forward for the
’Birds as he averaged 8.3 points
per game with a high-game of 21
against Portland.
times they shared, his mother and the struggle
she went through during his upbringing, or his
father and the “unforgettable” moments they
shared.
To understand the “Riot” part of Felton, you
need to watch him play.
To Felton, it seems like just yesterday that he
was playing high school ball back in Perry, Ga.
Asa senior, he wondered where he would be ful
filling his dream of “playing Division I basket
ball.” That is when Felton and his high school
coach, Carl Thomas, decided that his dream
would have to be put on hold. This was because
the offers from Wofford, Texas A&M, Furman
and the University of Georgia all Division I
schools were only partial scholarships.
Felton and Thomas finally agreed upon his
attending Nebraska’s Northeast Community
College. Thomas felt that by attending NECC,
Felton would be the “big fish in a small pond.”
Another reason for this decision was due to his
financial situation. He and his parents did not
have enough money to pay the remaining
expenses after the partial scholarship.
So off to junior college Felton went and he
lived up to the “big fish” title. While averaging
bered St. John as a coach of “few
words” and a “remarkable man.”
Other former players and col
leagues in the large crowd gath
ered for the occasion also took
turns to say thanks to St. John,
who retired from the Houston
County public school system in
1987.
“This (evening) will stay with
us forever,"said “Boot” Hunt, who
quarterbacked the early team.
“You don’t realize until later the
influence people have on you.
Coach, we owe you so much.”
St. John, a four time all SEC
performer, said the evening sur
prised him very much.
“It is totally unexpected and I
appreciate it deeply,” said the man
of few words.
A portrait of St. John and some
of his players was on display. Its
artist, Pete Henderson, called it an
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boys record to 4-0 in sub-region
play.
Dewayne Heard (number two
singles), Chris Lindsey and Snay
Traveti (number one doubles), and
Seth Green, Richie Sokinas, and
Brandon Pfleegor (number two
doubles) are all undefeated.
In the Girls’ matches both West
Wed. March 26, 1997
Page 6A
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Timss-Joumal Photo by Emily Johnitone
COACH AND PLAYERS Gathered with former Perry High Coach Herb St. John (third from left)
are Boot Hunt, Johnny Foreman, St. John, Barbara St. John and Lynward Barrett.
honor to be allowed to do the art
work.
“It’s like birthing anew child. I
get excited every time I look at it,”
he said.
The list of athletes who played
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and East Laurens won by 3-2
scores. Kim Sturgeon and Brooke
Hawk posted their forth and fifth
wins to remain undefeated at num
ber one doubles.
Also recording victories for the
Panther Ladies last week were
Keri Eckhardt (number one sin
gles) and Jessica Nolen (number
14 points, six rebounds and three assists, he
caught the attention of SUU fifth year assistant,
Bob Lowe.
After attending NECC for one year and
excelling both on and off he court, Felton and
Lowe agreed to terms for his attending SUU.
Felton then packed his bags and headed for
Cedar City.
How does Felton feel about being at SUU?
“I’m happy to be a sophomore getting a lot of
playing time, and with next year being in anew
conference and having hopes of the ‘Big
Dance’ in the next two years,” he said.
Felton also doesn’t have any regrets. “I’m
enjoying a college education for free and will
be the first to graduate in my family,” he said.
The thing he’s not crazy about is only getting to
see his family and friends twice a year sum
mer and Christmas.
This year Felton played a key role at small
forward for the ’Birds as he averaged 8.3 points
per game with a high-game of 21 against
Portland at the beginning of January. He also
averaged 27.8 minutes as a sophomore.
Tarvish Felton is not metamorphic, but if
you see him on the court he is a “Riot.” On the
other hand, if you get to know him personally,
he is “Quiet.”
Lowe offered his view of Felton. “He’s
young and adjusting as a player, but once he
finds his offensive shot, he’ll be a solid player.”
Lowe also said that Felton had good work ethic
and a lot of ability. With two years of eligibili
ty left, the “Quiet Riot” should be one to watch.
under St. John is like a “Who’s
Who in Perry.”
Sam Nunn, Larry Walker,
Stewart Bloodworth, Jerome
Bloodworth, and Ed Beckham are
just a few who played for
three singles). Sherri Nipper, Keri
Landry, and Christina Kirby all
recorded wins in B-team matches.
The Panthers have three match
es next week, Monday vs. Dodge
County at home (a match previ
ously rained out), Tuesday vs.
Bleckley County in Cochran and
Thursday vs. Dodge County in
Houston Tlmes-Jountal
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Southeast Utah University Journal Photo
JAM TIME Tarvish Felton, a Perry native, goes for two. He
expects to return as a junior next season, and a likely starter.
“Coach.”
“I never met a man with more
love in his heart,’’Stewart
Bloodworth said, expressing the
sentiment of all those gathered to
pay tribute.
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Eastman. All matches are against
sub-region foes.
Perry 5-West Laurens)
Boy’s Singles
1. Daniel Wright (Perry) def. Brett
Damino 6-0, 6-1
2. Dewayne Heard (Perry) def. Tommy
Gainey 6-0,6-1
(See TENNIS, Page 8A)
i
Phil
Clark
Times-Journal
Sports
Heading for a repeat?
I don’t want to put a jinx on
anybody, but could we be heading
toward a repeat in Georgia
Independent School Association
class AAA golf?
For the first few weeks of the
season, things are shaping up that
way. Marvin Arrington’s
Westfield Hornets, the defending
state champions, and the
Southland Raiders,, the runners
up last year, appear to have out
standing teams again this year.
Each team broke the 300 mark
in matches a week ago, and both
played well in this week’s invita
tional hosted by Stratford at Idle
Hour Country Club in Macon.
Westfield, unbeaten in two
regular season matches, beat the
field of 10 teams in that tourna
ment March 24, winning by two
strokes over runner-up Tattnall
Square, whom the Hornets had
beaten 315-324 in an earlier regu
lar season match.
To say that coach Arrington
entered the season with some
questions would perhaps be an
understatement, since he lost
three of his top four golfers from
last year’s team to graduation.
Gone are Scott Hill, Ed
Strickland and Todd Rigdon.
To take their place, Arrington
held qualification matches in pre
season. Several golfers have
emerged as potential stars to help
returning number one player
Robert Harrison. Wes Coody is
one of them. He had played a lot
last year, and is among the team’s
top players in early matches.
Two surprises would appear to
be Andy Conrad, a junior ;who is
in his first year at Westfield, and
who was a mainstay on the bas
ketball team, and played football
as well. Another is freshman T.J.
Gibson, one of three lefthanders
on Arrington’s top seven players.
He has played well, with a 72 in
the match against First
Presbyertian.
Matt Moore, who is also a vet
eran of the team, is another left
hander with the potential to shoot
in the low 70s. Joe Todd and
Michael Bowdon, the third left
hander on the team, round out the
seven-man squad.
Harrison, one of the top junior
golfers in the state, will anchor
the Hornets’ attempt to repeat as
state champions, with an other
wise new cast. Indications early
in the year are that the team is on
solid footing. But again,
Southland lurks in the shadows,
as do Tattnall, FPD and perhaps
George Walton.
In the Hornets’ first match of
the season, Conrad was his team’s
low medalist with a 77, followed
by Harrison and Todd. In the
magnificent effort against FPD,
when the team shot a 295,
Harrison fired a 71, Gibson a 72,
Coody and Conrad 765. With
golfers who can shoot that well as
(See GOLFERS, Page 8A)