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Sports
Panthers suffer second
loss to Warner Robins
By ALLINE KENT
For the Times-Joubnal
Outscored? Yes. Outplayed? Debatable.
Outclassed. No way.
That about sums up the championship game in the
1998 Bear Brawl which saw the Perry Panthers lose
to the Warner Robins Demons Dec. 22.
Despite losing to Warner Robins twice in the sea
son, Perry. 7-2. is still undefeated in region play.
Coach Carl Thomas, the Panthers’ head coach is
optimistic about the team’s chances for post-season
play.
“We have a good team," Thomas said, "This is a
team which has the potential to win region, to win
every game."'
It was definitely an improved Perry team that
faced the Demons. Thomas said that his kids “played
hard, and we got a chance to see what was in them."
Perry started off the first quarter with a 4-0 lead
but ended it by going in the hole 20-7. The Panthers
opened the second quarter with a Series of three
pointers by Johnny Watkins, Dontrell Green and Kris
Asbury finally quieted down the booing Demons
fans and put Perry back in the game.
The Panthers went into the locker room at the half
down by only four points.
Three pointers seemed to be the rule again in the
third quarter as Donte Holmes scored three and tied
the game. The Demons again battled back but
Dontarrius Thomas answered again with a three
pointer.
Holmes stole the ball away from the Demons and
Lady Panthers claim runner-up
spot in Bear Brawl tourney
By ALLINE KENT
For ™ Times-Journal
The Perry Lady Panthers brought home the
first runner-up trophy after falling to Warner
Robins Dec. 22 during the championship game of
the Houston County Bear Brawl tournament.
The game was a nail-biter as the Panther girls
gave it all that had during the entire game includ
ing a tie score with 6 minutes left in the game.
“I am very proud of them,” said Lady Panthers
coach Max Vickers. “When we played Warner
Robins earlier in the season, we were never in the
game. We are a much better team than 3 or 4
weeks ago, 1 ” "he said.
Warner Robins had a 16-8 lead at the end of the
first quarter. The Perry girls kept the second quar
ter equal with both teams scoring 11 points during
the period.
Perry’s Brandie Thomas came back from the
half well motivated and scored 12 points in the
third period. Kiki Woodard and Krystal Brown
each scored 4 for a score of 43-39 going into the
fourth quarter of play.
Although the Lady Panthers never took the
lead during the game, it seemed right in reach for
most of the fourth quarter until a 12-point run by
the Demonettes.
“Basically, we seemed to run out of gas,” com-
The new Perry Middle School facilities:
New gymnasium three times
larger than one at old campus
By ALLINE KENT
Fo> the Times-Jouknai
After nearly 30 years of coach
ing at Perry Middle School, the
new middle school campus will
be a big change for Coaches John
Warlick and Danny Shelton.
For one thing the gymnasium
is bigger. Lots bigger. The lobby
of the gym at the new building is
huge, with rest room facilities and
a concession stand. No more
cooking popcorn on the stage like
had to be done at the old school!
The new gymnasium is 10.000
square feet. This is almost three
times bigger than the old one.
Kids that ran into each other dur
ing physical education will now
have plenty of room to move
around.
The new gym floor should be
Club hopes barbecue raises funds for facilities
By ALLINE KENT
Fok the Times-Jovunal
When school starts back Jan. 4
after the holidays, the kids and
faculty at Perry Middle School
will have a brand new facility that
includes a state of the art gym,
lunchroom and other PE accom
modations.
But if you are expecting to see
the middle school Panthers play a
football game at the new Held
next September or see the curtain
fall on a school play this spring,
you will need to get out that
checkbook.
That is because right now, the
new school does not have stage
Perry plays Poach County at homo
Jan. 2. The girls play at 7, boys follow
at 8:30. Perry moots Warner Robins
again Jan. 5 at homo.
ran the court while the Demons just stood and stared.
He scored easily and put the Panthers back within
one.
Perry stayed right on the Demons heels all night
but went ahead only once after a foul shot by Holmes
late in the third.
It was a hard game for the Panthers not only phys
ically but emotionally as the Demon fans seemed to
entertain themselves not by applauding their team,
but booing the Panthers.
After the game. Thomas was disappointed by the
loss but still encouraged about his team's potential
for success this season. "Moderate foul trouble hurt
us tonight, and we have some weaknesses,” he said,
“but we could still end up with a better team this year
than we had last year.”
While Perry is a AA school and Warner Robins is
AAAA, Thomas commented that the region that
Perry is in is “as strong as any region in the state”.
The differences in the schools are mainly in “depth”,
something that has concerned Thomas all season.
Perry plays Peach County in a makeup game at
home Jan. 2. The girls play at 7, boys follow at 8 30.
Perry meets Warner Robins again Jan. 5 at home.
Perry earned a spot in the Bear
Brawl championship after downing
Washington County 54*36.
mented Vickers. “We made some mistakes, but
our team just continues to improve," he said. “We
won’t see much better than Warner Robins this
year." ,
Despite the loss, Vickers could not seem to say
enough about the progress of his team, and his
lead scorer on the evening, Brandie Thomas.
Thomas, a senior, scored 19 points in the game.
Vickers credited Thomas with “leadership on
the team. She has just done an outstanding job all
year, I am so proud of the improvements she has
made in the last two years. She just keeps getting
better and better."
Perry earned a spot in the Bear Brawl champi
onship after embarrassing Washington County 54-
36. Brandie Thomas and Krystal Brown each had
22 points in the game. The Panthers enjoyed at
least a 10-point lead for most of first half.
Psrry (48) Wamr Robins (551
Fagan 4, Grn 2, Woodard 11, Brown 11, Ovrton 1
Thomas 19 Halftime score • Perry 19 Worner Robins 2/
Peny (54) Washington County (36)
Rogin 4, Green 2, Woodord 4, Brown 22. Thomas 22
Halftime score - Perry 29 Washington County 19
able to accommodate four classes
at a time which will allow the PE
teachers and coaches the space
for separate activities. There are
plenty of wooden bleachers paint
ed maroon for spectators.
The gym area includes a health
room that will house the health
classes, a weight room, a washer
and dryer room, 2 girls and 2 boys
locker rooms, offices for the staff
and several storage rooms.
An added benefit to the new
weight room is its use as a well
ness for the teachers and staff
after school.
The facility is something of
which we all can be proud. For a
close up view, there will be a
open house Jan. 14 following the
booster club barbecue.
curtains, blinds for the windows,
scoreboards, bleachers, rest room
or concession facilities. The Board
of Education does not provide
these and they are the responsibili
ty of the school and its supporters.
In step members of the Perry
Middle School Booster Clubs. A
barbecue fund-raiser, a combined
effort of the Athletic, Chorus, and
Band Booster clubs, will be held at
the new school Jan. 14 from 5 -
6:45. An open house and PTO
meeting will follow which will pro
vide the community opportunity to
tour the new buildings. Barbecue
tickets are $5 each and can be pur
chased in advance by calling the
Page 5A
Wed., Dec. 30, 1998
? n *■* yjf
——
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT Students, faculty and
fans will find the gymnasium at the new Perry
school office or gymnasium .
The menu consists of a half
pound pound of barbecue pork
from Highway Haven.' Owner.
Charlie Parrish “has given the
school a great deal on the meat,"
according to Coach Danny
Shelton. Athletic Director at Perry
Middle. Parrish is donating his
time. There will also be slaw,
chips donated by Frito Lay,
dessert from the Little Debbie
company, white bread and tea for
those eating in the school. For
those desiring a “drive through",
curbside service will be available
courtesy the National Junior
Honor Society members.
Houston Tones-Journal
Jang
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TimM-Journoi by Erie Zilori
UR FOR TWO Johnny Watkins (12) goes up for two points in
Rwry Pwnther action against Monroe Area High Dec. 28. The
Roomers downed Monroe Area 82-61.
Panthers down Washington
County for Bear Brawl win
By ALLINE KENT
For ng Timrs-Joursm ,
The Perry Panthers began to
smile early Dec. 21 in their sec
ond game of the Bear Brawl tour
nament as they took the lead over
Washington County in the first
quarter. ,
Seniors Dontarrius Thomas
scored 4 points, Dannorris
Harvey scored 6, and Johnny
Watkins to the Golden Eagles 9
points.
But the smiles were soon
wiped off their faces as
Washington County fought back
with a five point lead over the
Panthers at the half.
Perry came back from the
break a different team. While
Washington County came back
bouncing, the Panthers seemed
senous, more concentrated on
their effort.
Dannorris Harvey started the
second half with a slam and
Johnny Watkins stole the ball
right out of the Golden Eagle bas
ket and scored pulling Perry to
within one point of Washington
County.
Tim*-Joumol Photo by Erk Z<on
Middle School campus completely different from
the old one.
PHS wrestlers singing ‘on the road again
By ALLINE KENT
For the Times-Joumal
The Perry wrestling team
has traveled all over the state
during the Christmas break
competing in three tourna
ments. Coach Sean Moistncr is
very proud of his young team
which has only 5 returners from
last year. His team includes 7
freshman who are wrestling for
the first time ever.
Perry started off with a trip
to Jackson for the Jackson
County tournament. Several of
the team members didn’t make
Junior guard Kris Asbury was
sent in and a lot of passing went
on that just seemed to last forever
until Donte Holmes hit the board
for three and the go-ahead 23-21.
Washington County tied it up
23 all but Dontarrius Thomas
scored and gave Perry the lead
again.
Back and forth the score went
until with six minutes in the game
with the score tied at 32 with 6
minutes left in the game. Coach
Thomas called for a time out and
obviously game his team the
motivation it need to take control
of the game.
Three pointers each by Kris
Asbury and Dontarrius Thomas
got the crowd into the game,
screaming “defense". The
Panthers, however, decided just
to keep playing offense, with a
12-4 run, each basket a nail in the
Washington County coffin.
The Perry crowd was on it’s
feet By the one minute mark with
a nine point lead, the smiles had
returned to the Panther faces.
Perry (55) Washington County (41)
Holmes 13, Watkins 10, Thomas 10.
Harvey 19 Halftime score Perry (16)
Washington County (21)
their weight, so the team com
peted without a full lineup. The
team placed 7th overall and
Individually, Perry had several
team members who finished in
the top 5.
Ernest Howard at 112 placed
3rd Bin Katshor at 119 finished
3rd and Quintin Johnson placed
4lh at 145. Patrick Young at
189 went 4-2 for the afternoon
and Maurice Hamilton at 152
went 2-2.
‘Next the Panthers were off
%
(See WRESTLE, Page 6A)
Phil
Clark
TlmesJoumei
Sports
Wouldn’t it
be nice if...
While south Houston
County continues to grow,
there is one thing we have here
that a lot of other areas lack
space. While we can reflect
approvingly on the things we
are blessed with, there arc a
few things I would like to see
developed in the Perry area.
First of all, I would like to
sec a softball complex devel
oped at the Georgia National
Fairgrounds and Agricenter.
While I have not spoken to any
one in authority regarding this, I
feel there is ample room on the
fairgrounds to build, say, a six
to-eight field complex, if not on
the fairgrounds, then certainly
within close proximity.
Slowpitch softball is very
popular. Just look at the Flag
City Shootout as an example.
Tournaments could be held
every weekend from March
through the end of the summer,
including all classes of mens’
play, as well as womens’ and
youth tournaments.
Another good example of
how well slowpitch softball is
accepted it last summer’s
Dixie Debs World JMat
which was held in Perry thanks
to the efforts of Dr. Dan
Stewart. Teams and many fans
were here for several.days,
from about half a dozen states.
Local businesses benefittedK
tremendously.
With the popularity of soft
ball, there is no reason that
such a complex could not be
constructed, since it would be
self-sustaining almost immedi
ately. Even the cost of co
struction would be recoverc
due time, if the complex were
utilized properly.
Softball teams ache for a
place to play in a tournament
each week. A huge softball
complex here in Perry would
be ideally located because of
its location near the center of
the state, with accessibility by
1-75 and U.S. 341.
While we’re at the
Agricenter, let’s go ahead and
modify Reeves Arena to
accommodate basketball. I
realize this subject has been
bantered around from time tq
time, maybe even to the extent
that cost projections have been
estimated.
Apparently the biggest
obstacle is a place to build
enough dressing rooms to
accommodate a tournament.
Eight dressing rooms would
seem adequate. There are so
many possibilities, such as
attracting high school tourna
ments, especially in the
Georgia Independent Schools
Association since Perry, again,
is centrally located and is con
venient to just about every
school in the GISA.
Also, there would be the
possibility of bringing exhibi
tion games to the area, such as
the Harlem Globetrotters, even
college and professional exhi
bition games. The facility
would be in position to bid of
regional college tournaments
as well.
I realize that things like this
can’t be accomplished
overnight, if they can be done
at all, but it would be encour
aging to see the powers that be
make some kind of positive
strides in that direction.
Next on my “I’d Like to
See” list would be a municipal
golf course in south Houston
County. There are hundreds
and hundreds of golfers with
literally no place to play within
50 miles or so. Privately owned
public courses such as Mallard
Point in Rochelle and The
Woods in Cochran do extreme
ly well, and at moderate prices,
especially The Woods.
A course in south Houston
County would have a tremen
dous area to draw from, giving
non-club members a place to
play. Bowdon in Macon and
International City in Warner
Robins are municipal courses
that stay filled most of the
time. But to the south and east,
there are a couple of state
owned courses in Cordelc and
Mcßae, but they aren’t that
close.
There’s a nine hole course in
both Peach and Macon coun
ties, none in Dooly. There are
a couple of courses in Pulaski
(See CL.ARK, Page 6A)