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Sports
Panthers fourth in GHSA track meet
Perry gets fourth for second year in row at all classes event
Hr ALUNE KENT
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It was a aisappotnted Coach Dixon who
returned to Perry High School Monday
morning after a trip with his track team to
the state finals in Jefferson. It was a frus
tration that was hard to put into words.
“We brought home the fourth place tro
phy. Many of teams in the state would love
to have that trophy. We wanted better. We
were disappointed that we didn't finish
higher than fourth. But that in itself says
something about our kids. That were not
satisfied finishing where they did last year.
They wanted better."
The Panthers finished fourth in AA for
the second consecutive year.
Preparation for the meet didn’t seem to
be a factor. The Panther team spent time
during the earlier part of the season travel
ing to track meets all over the state where
they could compete against the caliber tal
ent they would see in the state finals.
Perry ran into trouble on the first day of
the two day competition after failing to
score in any events. Although the team bat
tled back on Saturday, it was not enough to
overcome the deficit.
Although Dixon and his team were dis
heartened by their fourth place finish sev
eral positive things shone through during
the competition.
Perry was the only team in the entire
state which had a qualifier in every compe
tition, a fact that speaks highly of the
Panther program. While the Panthers did
Eighth grade panthers win baseball crown
Team rebounds from early losses to take Houston County championship
Bt ALUNE KENT
the season, it’s a county
championship for Coach
John Warlick and the Perry
Middle school Bth grade
baseball team.
The Panthers beat
Rumble May 7 for the sec
ond time this season and
clinched the county cham
pionship with a 9-2 record
with one game to play.
Perry’s two losses this
season came earlv on
against Feagin Mill and
Tabor. Both games ended
The good, bad and ugly
There’s some good
news, some bad news and
some ugly news in my col
umn this week.
The good news comes
out of Fort Valley and
Peach County, where long
time top assistant football
coach Alan Rodemaker
was named to succeed
Rodney Walker as head
coach and athletic direc
tor.
Rodemaker was hesi
tant when first confirmed,
but took the job after dis
cussing it with family
members. Rodemaker had
the support of the fans
and players in Peach
County, and hopefully will
continue the good pro
gram at Peach County.
The Trojans have been
playoff contenders, even
state title contenders, for
many years, and that tra
dition should continue
with Rodemaker.
The field of candidates,
or at least applicants, for
the Job was impressive.
Former Peach County
coach Neal Rumble was
among them, and so was
Steve Pennington, who is
at Ware County, and who
followed former Perry
coach John Stephens at
Appling County a several
years ago.
Rumors also had C.B.
Cornett of Central Macon
in the mix, though
informed insiders say the
former Macon County
coach was never a serious
consideration.
The other good news
out of Peach County is the
induction into the Georgia
Sports Hall of Fame of for
mer Fort Valley football
and boys basketball coach
Norman Faircloth, a move
that is way overdue.
Faircloth, in his accep
tance, said “I’m flattered.
When I began coaching, I
Page 6A
not compete well on Friday, they outscored
all of their opponents on Saturday, ending
the meet with 33 points behind
Westminster. Elbert County. and
Carrollton.
During the last event on Saturday, a sec
ond place finish would have added enough
points to push the Panthers into second
place in the state but Perry fell short.
Highlights for the day included
Dontarrious Thomas’s 3rd place finish in
the 400 m dash and his 2nd place finish in
the 300 m hurdles.
Michael Robinson finished Bth in the
state in the 1600 m with a 4:44 time,
improving his performance by 8 seconds
while finishing sth in the state in the 3,200
m with a time of 10:27. Robinson’s time in
the 3200 m was his best ever, shaving 24
seconds off of his previous best time.
Perry’s 4 x 100 m relay team, Marnezs
Taylor, Anthony Lane, Dontarrious Thomas
and Donovan Kendrick, placed 4th. Other
individuals placing for the Panthers
include Donovan Kendrick, 6th place in
100 m dash: Anthony Lane, 3rd place in
200 m dash; and Marnezs Taylor, 3rd in
110 m hurdles.
“My goal for this program is to be able to
compete at the state level," Dixdn com
mented. “We didn’t win state but we were
able to achieve our goal."
"Even if I didn’t coach the program. I
would be in the stands cheering for them. I
love this sport as a coach and as a fan."
with Perry' on the losing
side of a 6-5 score. Perry
retaliated against both
teams strong in their sec
ond meeting destroying
Feagin Mill 17-4 and shut
ting out Tabor 11-0.
Warlick credited the suc
cessful season to his play
ers, who have made great
defensive plays all season
and have had consistent
hitting all season. The
team’s highest average,
.571, during the season
came in their first meeting
with Bonaire.
During the rest of the
Phil
Clark
Home
Journal
Sports
never expected this to
happen."
Fact is, when Faircloth
began coaching in
Cochran, there was no
hall of fame. Faircloth’s
induction, fittingly, was
part of the opening cere
monies of the new Hall of
Fame in Macon.
Faircloth coached in
Cochran until 1947, with
time out for military ser
vice, and came to Fort
Valley in 1949. He
coached state champi
onship basketball teams
in both places, 1943 in
Cochran, then led the
Green Wave to titles in
1952 with the likes of Ed
Beck, Pat Swan and Eddie
Merritt, then repeated in
1954 after Swan had
graduated. His team also
won in 1962, and his
1961 football team was
state champion.
Norman Faircloth
deserves to be in the
Georgia Sports Hall of
Fame. Why did it take so
long? Perhaps for the
same reason that coaches
like Bill Martin, who won
two state titles at
Montezuma High School,
Norman Carter of Taylor
County and Carl Peaster
of Macon County, two of
the best girls coaches ever
to grace the sidelines, and
Macon County's pioneer
football coach Jimmy
Maffett, who was the
school's football coach for
itis first 23 football play
Wed., May 12, 1999, Hauston Home Journal
year, the Panthers as a
team, typically hit in the
high 300 s and mid 400 s.
Pitching has also been a
strength for the team
including Russ Crum’s 11 -
0, no hitter against Tabor.
Warlick said at the start
of the season, that he
thought this team would be
able to win the champi
onship.
“I would have been disap
pointed if we hadn’t won
the championship. I knew
that as a team we were
stronger than we were last
year," he said.
ing years!
There’s bad news, too,
this week. Long time
Boston and Milwaukee
Braves first baseman Joe
Adcock passed away at
age 71. Adcock made
headlines when he broke
up the longest no-hitter in
major league history.
Harvey Haddix, the
pint-sized Pittsburgh left
hander, had gone 12
innings without giving up
a hit until Adcock home
red in the 13th inning.
Haddix had retired the
first 36 Braves to face
him, but a Pittsburgh
error and a walk had put
two runners on in the
13th before Adcock’s
home run.
Adcock is also one of a
handful of major leaguers
to hit four home runs in a
game. He also had a dou
ble in that game for a
major league record 18
total bases in a game.
Adcock died of
Alzheimer’s disease.
More good news was
the terrific performance of
Westfield’s 400 meter
relay team in the Georgia
Independent School
Association state track
meet Saturday in Albany.
The team, Jared Shell,
Gary Virden, Jacob
Walker and Tate Parker,
blew away a talented field
in running a school-best
43.93, taking first over
Tattnall's 44.19.
The ugly news is Darryl
Strawberry’s arrest in
Florida on solicitation and
cocaine possession
charges.
Baseball has leaned
over backwards fqr the
likes of Strawberry,
Dwight Gooden and Steve
Howe, among others. At
some point, there has to
be an end to this tolera
tion.
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Home Journal photo by Charlotte Perkins
BOOK LOVERS found, countless bargains at the recent
old book sale held by the Perry Friends of the Library.
The sale netted over $2500. Shown browsing for bar
gains are the Rev. Pete Aroyo, Wallace Harbutt and
Anna Pritchett.
Honors Continued from page 1A
A Miss Westfield college
scholarship was presented
to Brandi Bazemore. She
also received one of four
Brannen Ford of Byron
scholarships. Other
Brannen winners were Rick
Coogle, Jared Shell and
Selena Sampson.
Bazemore also claimed
the Perry Business
Women’s Club scholarship
while Rick Coogle and
Jones received the Perry
Kiwanis Club scholarships
worth $6,000 total.
The Perry Rotary Club
scholarship went to Chad
Bailey while the Susan Lee
Memorial went to Rick
Coogle.
School leaders presented
academic awards as part of
the evening. In the literary
area, girls solo went to
Stephanie Burdeshaw\
Burdeshaw joined Anne
Peake and alternates
Hanna Barrett and
Caroline Maddox for the
girls trio.
Boys solo was Walt
Brannen. Anne Peake won
the piano award while Brad
Barfield received the
spelling award. Lina Arnold
won Girls Oral
Interpretation while James
Farmer won Boys Oral
Interpretation. Bo Hart was
the Boys Oral
Interpretation alternate.
Selena Sampson received
the Girls Extemporaneous
Speaking award while Bryn
Pipes received the Boys
Extemporaneous Speaking
award.
Sampson won the Girls
Argumentative Essay while
Jones won the boys.
Airport
from the sky. Prom that per
spective it really comes to life.
For starters, there’s a
rotating beacon that pilots
can see 15 to 20 miles
away. Flashing white and
green lights on the field
communicate the message
to all pilots that this is a
local airport.
Still other lights, border
ing the runway, can be
turned on by the pilot by
radio from the air. White
lights provide a guide to the
location of the runway,
amber lights indicate the
last thousand feet and red
lights show that the run
way has come to an end.
According to David
Morgan, frequently updated
government publications
give all pilots a directory of
the airports around the
country, including what
navigational options and
facilities are available.
One navigation device
available to pilots coming
into the local airport is a
radio controlled directional
guide. On the ground trans
mitters send two thin radio
beams down the runway.
From the air, the pilot can
set his equipment to the
required radio frequency
and watch a thin needle
posititioning and reposition
ing Itself to indicate that the
Daniel Davis was recQg
nized for his competition in
personal essay.
Members of the Debate
Team included Davis,
David Horne, Bryn Pipes,
Selena Sampson and Jason
Wade.
Members of the One-Act
Play cast included Brad
Barfield, Brandi Bazemore,
Elizabeth Berry, Kelly
Bryant, Cindy Carson,
Amanda Coogle, Amanda
Driver, james Farmer, John
Curtiss Gibbs, Courtney
Gregory, Mayt Hardy,
Patrick Harris, Brian hart
ley, Lauri Jacobs, Megan
Joiner, R.G. lamar, Terry
Mosteller, Laura Posey,
Brent Roper, Selena
Sampson, Brandi Jo
Tharpe and Lauren Young.
Participating in the
Winter Play and honored
were Elizabeth Berry,
Amanda Coogle, Rick
Coogle, Amanda Driver,
Courtney Gregory, Matt
! hardy, Robby Heaton,
Selena Sampson, Brandi Jo
Tharpe and Jason Wade.
Nominated for
Governor’s Honors in math
was Brad Barfield.
Receiving the Certificate of
Merit from the University of
Georgia were Brad Barfield
and Daniel Davis.
Wofford Scholars were
Lina Arnold, Brad Barfield.
Daniel Davis and Matthew
Hulbert.
Academic Bowl contes
tants recognized included
Brad Barfield, Daniel
Davis, Daniel Horne,
Brittany Hutto. Bryn Pipes,
Selena Sampson, Jason
Wade and Cainan Welchel.
Continued from page 1A
plane is lined up with the
runway for a safe landing.
This is a particularly help
ful guide in bad weather,
Morgan notes, because the
pilot can come down through
a cloud cover to the right
location for landing safely.
Another navigation aid -
a relay radio system - is
about to be added at the
airport to will enable pilots
to use their radios while on
the ground, in order to
receive flight instructions
before starting a flight.
Because of insurance
company requirements,
good navigational equip
ment is one factor in build
ing business at a local air
port. Another, according to
Morgan, is the availability
of fuel and repair services.
The airport can refuel
planes and is offering
round-the-clock mainte
nance and repair services
through Willis Aviation.
According to Stacy Willis,
the Fixed Base Operator for
the airport, the airport staff
also provides hangar space
and frequently arranges
transportation for those
arriving at the airport.
“We offer free courtesy
.transportation to those who
buy fuel," Willis said, “and
we also arrange transporta
tion by rental car."
Northrop
Grumman ‘chefs’
to host restaurant
at Relay for Life
Bt charlotte
PERKINS
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The Northrop Grumman
Relay for Life team will don
tuxedos and chefs hats
from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., on
the evening of May 14, and
serve a variety of dinner
items to raise funds for the
American Cancer Society.
According to Julie
Moore, team captain, the
“Cafe’ La Cure" will feature
white lace tablecloths and
china plates, with waiters
dressed in tuxedos.
A menu, featuring ribs,
barbecued pork, hot dogs,
hamburgers and chicken
breast, will be featured.
Desserts will be carrot cake,
chocolate cake, New York
cheese cake and German
chocolate cake. All proceeds
will go to the American
Cancer Society* and dona
tions will be welcome.
Moore said that mem
bers of the team, all volun
teers, will take turns serv
ing and cooking at the tent
covered "restaurant" and
walking around the track
as part of the relay and The
Northrop Grumman team
won the honor of top fund
raiser for the event in 1998.
The Relay for Life will
take place at the Perry
High School football field.
Scores
From Page 1A
centile ranking also showed
a slight drop from 52nd
percentile in 1998 to 50th
in 1999.
Information on 1999 test
scores in this story is from
the Houston County Board
of Education. Information on
1998 test scores is from the
Georgia Public Education
Report Card for 1998.
Board
From page 1A
• Heard a request from
Matt Stone, Senior Class
Presi-dent at Houston
County High School, to
bury a hundred year time
capsule on the school
grounds.
Stone said that capsule,
actually an air proof funer
al vault, would include
items and writings depict
ing the life of this year’s
graduating class and
would be scheduled to be
opened in 2099.
After discussion of the
location of the vault, the
Board voted to approve the
request.
Tolleson Supply takes
first half win
-
tured first pla m in the Perry
Junior League major league
with a 5-3 record. Alltel also
had a 5-3 record hut split the
head-to-head games with
Toelleoon. ToUesohn outscored
Alltel in the two games.
Pitchers with the best
records are Josh Davidson of
Tolleson and Josh O’Neal of
Ailtell. Both are 3-1.
Kiwanis pitcher Shane
Ashley has 49 strikeouts in 24
innings pitched.
Jordy Strokes of Alltel and
Shane ASshley of Kiwanis lead
the home run race with 4 each.
Tap hitters are Stephen
I James, .500: Dusty Denton.
.500: Jordy Stokes. .500;
-455: and Daniel
Peake. .450.
Baxter CPA 7. Tolleson 4.
Bruce Vance of Tolleson. 2-run
home run, Brandon Doles of
Baxter, 3-run game-winning
home run.
Kiwanis 5. AHttl 4. Shane
Ashley of Kiwanis was winning
pitcher, was 3-4 with a home
run and 4 RBI.
Alltel 11, Baxter CPA 4.
Brandon Doles of Baxter had a
2-run home run. Jordy Stokes.
Stephen James arid Bran
Crum had home runs for Alltel
Tolleson 4. MMM CPA 3.
Grand Brantley of Tolleson had
a double. RBi and run scored.
Mitchell Patterson of MMM had
a single, RBI and run scored.
Mfcflyf 5, Kiwanis 5. Jefl
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