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Sports
llmitr Journal Photo bv Alliur Kent
OUTSTANDING Perry
High School Senior Don
tarrious Thomas (left)
holds his trophy while vis
iting with his mother.
Mary Jo Lawson, and
cousin Kiaia Felder.
Thomas has been named
the All Middle Georgia
Track Athlete of the Year.
Panther track teams honored
Bv ALLINE KENT
Home Journal Staff
li was a wonderful
ivrning of celebration and
special announcements as
(lie 1999 Boys and Girls
track teams ai their annual
banquet May 20 at Quin
cy's Steakhou.se
('ouch Carl Dixon
announced during the ban
quet that Dontarrious
Thomas had been selected
All Middle Georgia Track
Athlete of the year.
Thomas has also been
nominated as All Middle
Georgia Athlete of the year,
an award that will be given
at the end of the school
y ear.
Thomas was presented
with two trophies during
evening. Most Points
earned during the year and
Best Field Event.
Thomas placed third in
the state in the 400 m dash
and had a 2nd place finish
in the 300 m hurdles.
Thornate-, senior, will- be?
attending Auburn Universi
ty this fall on a football
scholarship.
The Boy’s Track team fin
ished first in the region and
fourth in the state for the
second consecutive year.
Coach Max Vickers. Girls
Track Coach, opened the
awards part of the banquet
by presenting plaques to
Celeste Everett and Brandie
Thomas, the team’s only
seniors.
Vickers presented the
Coaches Award to Jessica
Green, the Field Award to
Brandie Thomas and the
Most Points Award to Mar
quita Ragan.
Vickers thanked the team
members for their partici
pation and hard work and
also thanked the parents
for their commitment to the
program.
Dixon spoke highly of his
underclassman and the
contribution they had made
for the team during the sea
son.
One player who stood out
Pro basketball playoffs reach semifinals, finally
The NBA season was short
this season in terms of games
played, because of the owners'
lockout which delayed the start
of the season.
Nevertheless, the season is
dragging on into June, as the
league is finally down to four
teams. The semi-finals will be
over this weekend, and the finals
next week.
Again, the Atlanta Hawks are
on tne outside, looking in, same
as they’ve been since 1970, their
last appearance in the semi
finals. A Hawk team hasn't
reached the NBA finals since the
St. Louis Hawks lost to Boston
four games to one in 1961.
It takes more than just a great
coach to win it all. Lenny Wilkins
has won more games than any
one who ever coached in the
National Basketball Association,
yet he has not had an Atlanta
team advance past the quarter
finals.
After beating Detroit three
games to two in the first round
this year, the Hawks were then
blown out by an average New
8 A
"This group this season has taken the track pro
gram back to the level it once was. It is up to the
next group to keep it there, ” Coach Carl Dixon, PHS
boys track coach
was Quinton Johnson who
had an incredible perfor
mance during the region
f-omnetition events John
son. who also wrestles and
plays football for the Pan
thers was the first Perry
pole vaulter to compete in
several years.
Dixon's five seniors,
Eddie Gary. Jermaine
Allen. Dannorris Harvey.
Anthony Lane. and
Thomas, were recognized
and given plaques.
The Best Distance Award
was given to Michael Robin
son who finished Bth in the
state in the 1600 m with a
4:44 time and fifth in the
state in the 3200 m with a
time of 10:27.
Mafnezs -i W
lor. who finished 3rd in the
I
. <■ '■■ ■■'" v-
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HONORED Brandie Thomas (left) ajnd Celeste
Everett hold trophies and plaques distributed during the
banquet. They are seniors.
Phil re
mark
Home Jour- . I
nal Sports
York Knicks team that now must
get past Larry Bird’s Indiana
Pacers.
Wilkins, who will pass the
1,200 victory mark in regular
season games with an average
year in 2000. doesn't have near
those glowing credentials when
it comes to playoff games. That’s
to be expected, of course. The
competition should be stronger
in the playoffs. Even in 1970, the
Hawk's last semi-final appear
ance, they didn’t survive round
two. There were just three series
in the playoffs at that time.
Wilkins first Atlanta team, in
1993-94, was his best playoff
slate in the 110 hurdles,
was selected Most
Improved while the coaches
award went to Monterris
Ingram.
While praising the
achievements of the indi
viduals on the team, Dixon
was quick to point out that
each award given was a
team award as much as an
individual award.
Dixon spoke in detail of
the accomplishments of the
seniors and the leadership
they- have provided during
the year.
“This group this season
has taken the track pro
gram back to the level it
once was. It is up to the
next group to keep it there,"
he said.
team here. After winning the
Eastern Conference first round
three games to two over Miami,
the Hawks were then eliminated
by Indiana 4-2.
The 5-6 playoff record,
though, was the best for Wilkins
as head man of the Hawks. His
95-96 team also won the Eastern
Conference first round, beating
Indiana 3-2, but then bowed out
of the playoffs, losiqg 4-1 to
Orlando.
This year the Hawks took a 2-
0 lead over the Pistons, then had
to win game five to face the
Knicks. Atlanta was never a fac
tor against New York, dropping
four in a row.
Will the Hawks ever win an
NBA title again? Hard to tell. It's
a tough chore, to begin with.
Everything has to fall into place
at the right time. Having superi
or talent and a great coach
helps, too, but you must get the
breaks at the right time to win a
championship.
Atlanta Just doesn’t seem to
have that happen. There are way
too many injuries to key players.
Wed.. June 2, 19V9
Page 6A
We’re Number One!
Perry Panther fans have legitimate claim to
phrase after Perry wins region all sports trophy
Bv ALLINE KENT
Hogs Bpo«t»
The athletic program at
Perry High School received
the highest honor in the
region last Wednesday
evening when they were
awarded the Region-All
Sports Trophy for the sec
ond year in a row.
Aubrey Corbitt, president
of Region 4AA, presented
the trophy to Perry High
School Athletic Director
and Head Football Coach
George Collins.
The meeting, attended by
coaches and athletic direc
tors representing each
school in 4AA. was held at
Perry High School, due to
Perry’s location in the cen
ter of the region.
The award is given to the
top athletic program in the
region and is based on a
point system which awards
points for first place finish
es in the region and top
Don’t be afraid to dream, seniors
Writer uses song about 'dreams to discuss future
Home Journal Commentary
by Phil Clark
This is the biggest week of your lives.
You are high school seniors, and you are
making that walk to receive that coveted
diploma. _______________
As you receive it,
you will do so with
mixed emotions.
You are happy
you’ve reached your
first goal. You are
sad that you will be
leaving long time
friends. And you are
concerned about
what the future
holds for you.
Don’t be afraid to
dream. A few days
ago. while enjoying
one of my favorite
hobbies, listening to
music, I came
across a CD by
ABBA, the Swedish group which was
immensely popular in the states during the
middle and late 19705.
One of the songs on the CD. not one of
their top 40 hits by- the way, was entitled "1
Have A Dream." It had nothing to do with
Dr. Martin Luther King’s famous speech,
but the message is much the same. Go
ahead, seniors, have y-our dream.
/ have a clream. a song to sing
To help me cope with everything
If you sec the wotxder of a fairy tale
You can take the future, even if you fail
I believe in angels, something good in
everything I sec
/ believe in angels, when / know the time
is right for me
I cross the stream. I have a dream
Those are beautiful lyrics, with monu
mental meaning. So go ahead, have your
dream. There’s not a one of vou out there
Houston Horn Journal
four places in the region.
During the 1998-1999
school year, three Panther
team captured the region
title. Boy’s Basketball,
coached by Carl Thomas;
Boy’s Track coached by
Carl Dixon and Golf,
coached by Johnny Barton.
The Panthers also had
top four finishes in baseball
and boy’s and girl’s tennis.
Collins expressed his
Clark
and there are way too many top
caliber players to begin with. The
Hawks just don't have the talent
on the floor to beat the top
teams. This year, those top
teams, the final four, include the
Knicks and Pacers in the East
and Portland and San Antonio in
the West.
Speaking of the West. The Los
Angeles Lakers are a great exam
ple of clashing egos.
Shaquille O’Neal and Kobie
Bryant feuded all season, and
experts believe the pair will have
to be split up before their team
can compete for a championship.
The Hawks didn’t have that
kind of problem. They just didn’t
have the talent. By the way. both
O’Neal and Bryant were early
entries into the NBA. O'Neal
came into the league after two
years at Louisiana State, while
Bryant entered straight out of
high school.
Amazing how Bryant has
learned all there is to know
about the game, about the NBA,
and about the role each team
mate should plav
fl
y 1
\3110;
who can convince me that you can’t
achieve that dream.
Somewhere out there are our leaders of
tomorrow. Someone in every graduating
class will take a place of leadership in the
future. That someone could be you.
Go ahead, have your dream. Somewhere
out thei*e are the Sam Nunns of the future.
Think anyone dare to tell Sam not to
dream, not to set his goals high?
Somewhere out there, too. are profes
sional athletes of tomorrow. We’ve pro
duced many of them locally. Did anyone
tell James Brooks he couldn’t play in the
National Football League as he left Warner
Robins High School? How about Eddie
Solomon of Houston High, or Kal Daniels
at Northside. Did anyone tell them they
could not play- major league baseball?
I have a dream, a fantasy
To help me through reality
And my destination makes it worth the
while
Pushing through the darkness, still
another mile
I believe in angels, something good in
everything I see
I believe in angels, ivhen I know the rime
is right for me
I cross the stream. I have a dream
Westfield held graduation ceremonies on
May 28. Perry will graduate on June A at
the Georgia National Fairgrounds, followed
on June sth by Northside. Warner Robins
and Houston County High.
For all of you. we here at the Houston
Home Journal wish lor vou the verv best I
have a dream.
(Phil Clark is a sports ivritei for the Home
Journal.)
I am not an NBA fan. 1 don't
watch the games on television,
and I have never been to an NBA
game. It didn’t bother me at all
that the season was a couple of
months late getting started.
Maybe the regular season should
be shortened, since there are
now four rounds in the playoffs.
Think that will happen? Not as
long as there is television money
being handed out the way it is.
The NBA, like other professional
. leagues, has long since forgotten
the paying customer, those who
attend the games in person.
They are inconvenienced at the
hands of television audiences on
a regular basis.
Frankly, till be glad when the
NBA playoffs are over. Not that I
watch the games, but June
seems like such an odd time to
be playing basketball.
Now. do 1 think Lenny Wilkins
will ever lead the Atlanta Hawks
to an NBA championship? No.
Nice guvs don't always finish
first.
pleasure and pride in
receiving the All-Sports
Region Trophy by giving
credit to the incredible ath
letes at Perry High School
and his coaches.
“Our coaches do a good,
solid job with these kids,”
Collins said. “This award
shows commitment on the
part of the coaching staff.
“I knew we had had a
successful year and
thought we had a shot at it
again this year. We just
have quality coaches and
athletes at Perry- High.”
Collins said the award is
given on success through
out a school program.
“It shows a balance in
your athletic department.
The award is not just
judged on football, basket
ball or baseball. It is a spot
light for our coaching staff
and for our outstanding
senior class.”