Newspaper Page Text
Wed., Sept. 1, 1999, Houston Home Journal FaII Exiracurricular Activities Guide
Page 2B
At Perry High School
Panthers face three of the best Class AA
teams in the state during September
By ALLINE KENT
Home Journal Btokt» .
Ifyou were a high school
head football coach and
had three teams on your
schedule that were ranked
in the top 15 in the state,
it might be hard to decide
which competitor you were
going to worry you the
most.
Not for George Collins,
Head Football coach at
Ferry High School. For
Collins, it has been easy
deciding which team on
the Panthers’ tough sched
ule that he is most con
cerned about.
"I woriy about the first
game, and then the next
game. That first game is
such a big game for us.
You've got a little momen
tum with you coming into
the season We’ve got some
tough road games but we
have got to get out of the
gate first,” he said.
Perry “gets out of the
gate” with Vidalia on Sept.
3 at home this year. This is
a team Perry beat 20-19
during last season.
According to Collins, the
win in Vidalia got things
started for the team’s 7-3
winning record last year.
The Panthers have one
of the toughest schedules
in the region. Two of the
three of the schools that
will give Perry their tough
est competition are early
in the season back to
back. Dodge County,
ranked 14th in the state in
preseason polls, lost to
Perry 10-7 last year but
returns Jeffery Thomas,
who has averaged 1,000
yards a season rushing in
his three years with the
Indians.
Manchester, who
squeaked by the Panthers
14-13 last season at the
Panther Pit enters the '99
season ranked fourth in
the state and returns
seven starters from their
defense last year.
Eighth ranked Mary
Persons doesn’t return
many starters this season
but will have back senior
Jamario Smith, their run
ning back who rushed for
more than 1,400 yards
last season.
Perry will face their
toughest scheduling chal
lenge only two weeks into
the season when they start
their streak of the four top
teams in the region. Perry
will have to travel to Dodge
County and Manchester,
then return home to face
Jackson, a team that shut
Perry out 7-0 last year
before traveling to Forsyth
for Mary Persons.
Returning from a 7-3
season, his best in the five
years he has been at the
Panther helm, Collins is
slow to make predictions
abotit the success of his
'99 squad.
“If it is was based solely
on the commitment our
kills have and the work
our coaches have done,
just those two items, well
we are the best team in the
state. But that’s not all it
depends on," he said.
“We are working hard
and getting better every
week but so are Dodge and
Manchester," Collins said.
Collins will be depend
ing a lot on the energy and
leadership that his 12
seniors and new coaching
additions will bring to the
Panthers.
Gone from the Panther
line-up arc some familiar
name to Perry fans; Dante
Holmes, Dontarrious
Thomas and Eddie Gary.
But as much as those
three added to the team.
Collins is missing a few
more right now.
“If you think about los
ing seniors, you have to
mention the whole senior
class. During their time
here, everyone of last
year's seniors gave us
something that helped us."
Collins said.
Collins said the current
senior class took over
leadership of the team
right after the last game of
the '9B season.
“It was probably Monday
or Tuesday after the
Bleckley County game last
year, when this year’s
senior class starting get
ting in the weight room
and encouraging others
there. There it was, only
November, but they were
already concentrating on
their senior year and were
leaders in the weight
room," Collins recalled.
Anchoring the 12-man
senior group is Quarter
back Dontrell Green, back
for his fourth year with
Perry. He will be expected
to lead the Panthers offen
sively.
Michael Robinson, wide
receiver, has played a lot
in his four years with
Perry and has plenty of
experience in his position.
Monterrious Engram at
tight end and Donovan
Kendrick at tailback have
also played for the Pan
thers for four years while
Justin Moriarty. who will
start on the offensive line,
returns for his second
year.
Collins said that the
quality of the defense was
progressing well. “We are
looking at things a little
differently from last year.
We’ve got five good starters
and a new coach in the
secondary. Our defensive
line is solid.’’
The Panthers will be
looking to their three
seniors and returning
starters on the line; Morris
Clarington. Matt Dennis,
and Jonathan Whitfield.
Quinton Johnson, at sale
ty has seen plenty of play
ing time in his Perry career
and his experience will be
vital to the success of the
defense.
Rounding out the senior
class, Perry also returns
Fred Ridley, a four-year
starter on defense. Dustin
Rainey and AB Wood, who
lettered last year are
expected to see a lot of
playing time this year.
With about a week left
in the pre-season, Collins
seems satisfied with the
progress his team has
made during their off sea
V^A/alker
j > Insurance Agency
“For your best insurance value ”
We m jmd U
wfrfmt Pmf/’i
tfmyfietfdt!
Good
Luck!
Call Larry or Daryl Ann
988-8212
906 B Commerce Street, Perry, GA
son practices.
“We are on track with a
week before we play our
first game. We are working
and we’ve got the players
to work with," he said.
Along with the familiar
senior faces on the side
lines, there will be three
new coaches to the Pan
ther football lineup this
season. All three bring
proven and effective lead
ership to the Panther
team.
"We feel very comfort
able ' together,” said
Collins, speaking about
the coaching additions.
“They bring a vast amount
of experience to the team."
Don Sherwood will be
coaching the secondary.
Sherwood is a former
defensive coordinator and
head boys basketball
coach at Mount de Sales
Academy in Macon.
His other coaching
duties will include assist
ing Carl Thomas with the
varsity boy's basketball
program.
Perry fans will remem
ber Arthur Billings, a for
mer Panther standout who
is returning to coach for
the first time at his alma
mater. Billings is a teacher
at Westside Elementary in
Warner Robins.
“The principal at West
side. Mrs. Pennington, has
graciously allowed him to
work with us," said Collins
“and it is a great opportu
nity for our program, to
get a former player back.
He is excited to be home."
Brett Hardy comes to
the Panthers from Echols
County but is familiar with
football in Houston Coun
ty after coaching at North
side High several years. He
will be coaching wide
receivers.
"With this group we’ve
got, coaches and players,"
said Collins. “If we can go
to Dodge County and win.
we’ve got a chance. We get
better, but so does every
one else. We will be fight
ing every week, clawing for
everything we get. nothing
will come easy for this
team. But we learned last
year how to play the close
games. Some we came out
on top. some we didn't,
but the experience will
carry over for us."
Open Letter From Houston County School
Superintendent Dr. Charles Holloway
(EDITOR’S NOTE: This
is an open letter to Hous
ton County residents
from School Superinten
dent Charles Holloway.)
Dear Residents of Houston
County:
The 1999-2000 school
year has gotten off to a
great start! Houston Coun
ty School System employ
ees are ready for an excit
ing year that will take us
into the new millennium.
More than 21,000 stu
dents are enrolled to attend
one of the 33 campuses.
Four new schools. Matt
Arthur Elementary, Eagle
Springs Elementary. Perry
Primary and the Houston
County Career and Tech
nology Center, opened this
fall. Matt Arthur and Eagle
Springs are state-of-the-art
facilities which offer an
unparalleled learning envi
ronment, as well as provide
the county with greatly
needed space for some of
our youngest learners.
The other new schools
implement innovative con
cepts for Houston County.
Perry Primary School is an
early literacy learning cen
ter for all Pre-K, kinder
gartners, and first graders
in Perry.
The Houston County
Career and Technology
Center offers high school
students the opportunity to
earn their diploma bv
working at their own pace
in core academic classes on
Nova Net, a computer
based instruction curricu
lum.
Board members and
administrators have estab
lished ambitious goals for
the new school year to help
improve our schools and
the quality of education
offered. The push to
improve literacy and tech
nology will continue and
there will be a heavy focus
on mathematics.
We plan to reduce pupil
We are proud to support
the Panthers, the Hornets
and all the young'
people of the
Perry area schools
teacher ratios and will eon
tinue to work to help stu
dents improve test scores
as measured by the lowa
Test of Basic Skills. Georgia
Eighth Grade Writing
Assessment and Georgia
f/?est wishes to all of
our young people for a
successful school year!!
f/u>ef> on neaiti/uf!!
The PerFj^ookstore
919 Carroll Street, Downtown Perry
987-0600
( Best Wishes
t Sp for a winning
M&A y* / season!
j Grant L
r Myers
?w yaidemiy & famutf neecU!!
905 Jernigan Street
987-571 8
Weyerhaeuser
High School Graduation
Test.
Other goals aim to
increase communication
and community involve
See LETTER, Page 3B