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Home Journal Photo by Phil Clark
TAKING AIM Lina Arnold (shooting) lays one up
against Mount de Sales as teammates Beth Ann Murph (23)
and Stephanie Thompson (13) watch.
Lady Cavs down Westfield
in key region matchup
By PHIL CLARK
Homk Journal Sports
With the score tied at 40,
Mount dc Sales' Jennifer Van
hit two free throws with 2:05
left to play in a region lAAA
meeting between the Cava
liers and the Westfield Lady
Hornets at the Hornets' Nest
Jan 11.
The points broke the tie,
and neither team was able to
score over the final two min
utes as Mount de Sales hung
on for a two point win, 42-
40.
The game was close from
the start as the teams were
tied after a quarter at 12-12.
Westfield's Amanda Murph,
who got the start at cenier,
scored six points in the
quarter to offset four by the
Cavaliers’ Sarah Mead.
Then in the second quar
ter, Mount de Sales gained a
two-point advantage as
Meade led a 14 point quar
ter. Anne Peake and Beth
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Home Journal Pbolo by Pbll Clark
RECOVERY Westjield player Rachel Moore (left),
injured early in the Mount de Sales game, discusses the
injury with trainer Mike Edgar.
Reflections on the story which needs to be over
.John Rocker has certainly given
the country something to talk
about with his December interview
in Sports Illustrated. Since the
story broke, everybody has voiced
an opinion on Rocker, one way or
the other.
1 do noi condone what Rocker
was quoted as saying. It was
immature at the very best. Of
course, his views have been looked
at as ‘racist’. That's the first thing
that pops up in any story, isn’t it?
But you can give Rocker credit
in one area. He could be labeled
’racist’, but he didn’t discriminate.
He didn't leave anybody out!
The Sports Illustrated story was
written by Jeff Pearlman. He was
in Atlanta to do a story on Rocker,
sure. But I feel he lost track of just
what the subject was supposed to
be about. When Rocker began to
spout his various comments,
Pearlman saw a bigger story and
he jumped on it. In reading his
article, I really can’t find his origi
nal story line.
Everybody, and his brother, has
jumped on the story. Opinions are
divided, as you suspected they
would be. Along racial lines, as
you suspected they would be. But
the overriding opinion seems to be
that John Rocker had a constitu
tional right to express his opin
ions.
You only have to look as far as
The game was close
from the start as the
teams were tied after a
quarter at 12-12.
Ann Murph each scored five
in the quarter for Westfield.
By the end of three quar
ters, the Cavaliers had
increased the lead to three,
and had to hold off a West
field charge late in the game
for the win.
Peake’s 11 points was best
for Westfield, while Meade
scored 13 for Mount de
Sales.
Westileld (40) Todd 2, Arnold 9,
Peake 11, Beth Ann Murph 6.
Thompson 6, Amanda Murph 6.
Mount de Sales (42) Layfield 5,
Rosa 5. Leverette 3. Mead 13, Van 6,
Wall 4, DeLoach 4. I-esletn 2.
Halftime score: Mount de Sales
26. Westfield 24.
Three point goals: none
Phil
Clark
Home
Journal
Sports
the Atlanta Journal and Constitu
tion to find differences of opinion.
For example, the renowned sports
writer Furman Bisher thinks that
Rocker should remain an Atlanta
Brave. Bisher says the only place
for Rocker’s rehabilitation is right
in Atlanta.
Bisher chides Hank Aaron, who
originally stated that Rocker “should
resign from baseball," but has since
changed his mind after meeting per
sonally with the Macon native.
Bisher reminds that Aaron him
self once smashed a sportswriter
in the face with a basket of straw
berries because the writer's boss
had once written something Aaron
disagreed with.
Bisher further reiterates cases
of the media, and the public,
sweeping incidents under the rug.
so to speak. For example, pro foot
ball player Reggie White once
made some disturbing comments,
but he survived the minimal back
lash, perhaps because he is an
Ice-cold Hornets
fall to FPD 53-36
By PHIL CLARK
for the
second consecutive night,
and on the Vikings’ home
floor, the Westfield Hornets
dropped a 53-36 non-region
decision to First Presbyterian
Jan 12.
The Hornets scored just
10 points over the final two
quarters of the game after
taking a 26-22 half-time
lead.
Carson Royal was the
nemesis, pouring in 20
points and helping the
Vikings control the back
boards against the Hornets.
The Hornets came out
bombing from long range,
hitting four 3-pointers in
taking a 16-11 first quarter
lead as Will Holt, Ernest
Greene, Daniel Weir and
Mitch Greer hit from the out
side.
The Vikings shut down the
long bombs in the second
quarter, though, and crept to
Lady Bees finish perfect week
By PHIL CLARK
"TlJlSfltgrMr Hor
nets B-team girls basketball
team completed a perfect 3-0
week with wins over Mount
de Sales, First Presbyterian
and Windsor.
Katie Byrd scored 12 first
half points Jan 11 to give the
Lady Bees a half-time lead,
then Stephanie Thompson’s
heroics in the fourth quarter
saved the win for Westfield
over Mount de Sales.
The Cavaliers had taken a
33-32 lead with under a
minute to play on a basket
by Andra Orange. But
Thompson scored back-to
back baskets, the second
after a steal, to pull out a SO
BS win.
Byrd finished the game
with 14 points, Thompson 12
for Westfield, while Jennifer
Leverette’s 15 took honors
for Mount de Sales.
A night later, the Lady Bees
were back on the hardwood at
First Presbyterian for a Jan
12 meeting with the Lady
Vikings. In another tight one,
the Lady Bees had to hold off
a fourth quarter charge to
preserve a 28-27 win.
Trailing 16-9 at the half
after scoring just two points
in the first quarter, West
field's Amanda Murph led a
third quarter comeback by
Westfield as the Lady Bees
scored 17 points while hold
ing the Vikings to just 5, tak
ing a five point lead after
three quarters.
Murph's six points in the
quarter helped Westfield
claim the lead, and two big
baskets by Corrie Wojohn
Page 6A
-Wed., Jan. 19,2000
ordained minister, perhaps
because of his color. Latrell
Sprewell not only survived, but
profited from, choking his coach!
Bisher seems to think John
Rocker was 'showing off for the big
time sports writer. He doesn't
believe those are Rocker's real feel
ings. He further thinks that Rock
er must go before his teammates,
eat crow, and pitch.
Another Atlanta Journal and
Constitution writer, Terrence
Moore, disagrees with Bisher.
Moore doesn’t feel the Braves want
Rocker to remain a member of the
team. Moore says Rocker was
never liked by many of the Braves,
anyway.
Moore said in a column follow
ing the SI stoiy “In my 15 years of
covering the Braves, I have never
seen a Braves player more disliked
by his teammates”’ Moore’s opin
ion. mind you, not necessarily fact.
Moore further points out, in his
reasons why Rocker can’t remain
with the team: “It just isn’t wise to
keep a player on a team that might
have seven of it’s eight regulars in
the starting lineup representing
the various ethnic groups that
Rocker has ripped."
How did Atlanta area fans and
readers feel about the two opin
ions? Some 64 percent, (5,923
fans) sided with Furman Bisher,
while 36 percent (3,312) agreed
within four points at half
time, trailing the Hornets 26-
22 before taking control on
the game in the second half.
Royal scored eight points
in the third as the Vikings
climbed into the lead to stay,
then finished off the night
with a 17-5 advantage in the
fourth quarter.
Royal was the only player
on either team to reach dou
ble figures in scoring.
Weir, Jones and Austin
Davis had the best showing
for the Hornets, each scoring
six points. Jack Loyd and
Michael DeLaßosa had the
same number for the
Vikings.
Westfield (36) Kitchens 3, Holt 4.
Greene 3. Weir 6. Jones 6. Faulkner
5. Davis 6. Greer 3
FPD (53) Barnes 5. Faulkner 4.
Loyd 6. DeLaßosa 6, Royal 20,
Hardison 4. Powell 3. Aderhold 5.
Halftime score: Westfield 26, FPD
22
Three point goals: Westfield 5
(Kitchens. Holt. Greene. Weir. Greer)
FPD 1 (Powell)
The Lady Bees will
play at Central Fellow
ship Christian Academy
Jan. 21.
helped Westfield to pull
ahead.
First Presbyterian tried to
come back in the fourth with
good defense, holding the
Lady Bees to just a pair of
free throws, but they could
n’t generate enough offense
of their own to catch up.
In all, eight Westfield play
ers put points on the board,
with Murph's six leading the
way. Wojohn, Hanna Barrett,
Becca Roper and Katie Byrd
each scored four points.
Christy Bacon was the
game's top scorer, hitting ten
for the Lady Vikings.
Game three of the busy
week took the Lady Bees
back home to play Windsor
Jan. 14. Corrie Wojohn. get
ting a start for Westfield,
scored nine points while
Katie Stewart came off the
bench to score eight.
Westfield picked up their
third win of the week with a
30-17 cakewalk. Coach
Leigh Ann Johnson was able
to play all 14 of her players
in the one-sided but low
scoring game. Meghan Wait
es and Hanna Barrett each
scored four points for West
field. while the Lady Knights
had four players share their
scoring honors with four
points each.
The Lady Bees will play at
Central Fellowship Christian
Academy Jan. 21.
Houston Home Joupml
■■■l " 1
■ sH
Home Joumll PhoW by Phil Cl.I,
TAKING AIM Ernest Green (lejt) prepares to drive
against a Windsor defender in recent Westfield action.
Windsor Knights no
match for Westfield, 47-30
By PHIL CLARK
Hoot Journal Si»o«m»
toach Jim Massey is slow
ly bringing the Windsor bas
ketball program to
respectability, but his team
was no match for Duane
Hunter’s Westfield Hornets
Jan 14 at the Hornets' Nest
as Massey returned to face
his former team.
Daniel Weir scored more
than 20 points for the fourth
game this season, and the
second during the week, in
leading the Hornets to a 47-
30 region lAAA win.
The win improved the
Westfield region record to 2-
2, while dropping the
Knights to 0-3.
While Weir was scoring at
least five points in every
quarter, the Hornets were
struggling to keep a safe lead
over the Knights over the
B-Hornets drop three of four
By PHIL CLARK
Home Journal Sports
It was a tough week for
the Westfield Hornets B
team boys as they dropped
three of four games during a
busy week.
Playing four games in five
nights, the young Hornets
lost 42-36 to the Mount de
Sales Cavaliers on Jan 11.
Mitch Greer and Jordan
Holt combined to score 24
points for Westfield, includ
ing Greer’s three 3-pointers.
After marching to a 28-13
half-time lead, the Cavaliers
had to hold off a second half
charge from the Hornets,
who outscored Mount de
Sales 14-4 in the third quar
ter to narrow the Cavaliers'
lead to five points.
Trailing 32-27 going into
the fourth quarter, the Hor
nets simply ran out of gas
before they could overtake
the Cavaliers.
Greer's 13 points led the
Hornets, while Holt added
eleven. Brandon Orr’s 14
and 13 by Michael Slonaker
topped the Cavaliers.
Greer matched his 13-
point performance a night
with Moore.
Isn’t it interesting, too, how
meaningless, unimportant people
have tried to gain an agenda by
Rocker knocking? Example. Some
one calling himself the Rev. Gerald
Durley of the Concerned Black
Clergy, in a newspaper interview,
was quoted as saying "... .this
ignorant redneck from down south
Georgia" when referring to Rocker.
Excuse me, but isn’t the ’rev
erend’ guilty of the very thing he’s
crucifying Rocker for? Sure he is.
but then, just as John Rocker, he
has a right to say whatever he
wants to say. Didn't John Rocker?
11l advised, sure, but he had a right
to say it.
Here’s another asinine opinion.
Baseball commissioner Bud Selig
has mandated John Rocker under
go psychological testing and thera
py to “learn to deal with his prob
lem." Phooey.
This is the same Bud Selig who
wants to be so ’politically correct’
that he won’t even consider a Pete
Rose reinstatement. He’s the same
Bud Selig who wants to be so ‘polit
ically correct' that he has instruct
ed all major league baseball teams
to actively seek minorities when
filling managerial positions. He’s
the same Bud Selig who, as owner
of the Milwaukee Brewers never
sought a minority manager.
But like Rev. Gerald Durley, like
first two quarters.
The Hornets were ahead
by Just three points at half
time before turning up the
tempo on defense in the sec
ond half, holding the Knights
to Just four points each in
the third and fourth quar
ters.
Weir’s 23 led Westfield,
while John Carden scored 13
for the Knights. Chance
Jones had seven peAv&r
including a three-pointer,
while Will Holt drilled his
team leading 14th three
pointer of the season.
Westfield (47) Kitchens 2. Holt 3.
Sexton 4. Greene 4, Weir 23, Jones
7, Faulkner 4
Windsor (30) Carden 13. James
4. Muntford 7, Morstad 2. Dunn 2.
Hellwig 2
Halftime score: Westfield 25.
Windsor 22
Three point goals: Westfield 2
(Holt, Jones) Windsor 1 (Carden)
later, but the young First
Presbyterian Vikings of
Cater Pierce took control of
the game early and downed
the Hornets 57-29.
Westfield scored just 10
points in the last half as the
Vikings rolled to the win.
Jordan Holt added nine for
Westfield, while the Vikings
placed three players in dou
ble figures.
The Windsor Knights
came to the Hornets’ Nest
Jan. 14. Playing without
point guard Mitch Greer,
who had been elevated to the
varsity, the young Hornets
played the Knights tough all
night before dropping a 44-
40 decision.
Trailing by 10 after three
quarters, 36-26, the Hornets
closed the gap behind Jor
dan Holt, who hit five of six
free throws and a three point
basket in the fourth.
The rally wasn't enough to
catch the Knights, who were
led by Ron Smith's 17
points. Brince Coody, getting
a start at guard, hit a three
pointer for Westfield while
See BEES, page 7A
Atlanta mayor Bill Campbell, like
Joseph Loweiy and Hank Aaron
and hundreds more, Bud Selig saw
an opportunity to vent some of his
own frustrations, aiming them at
an unarmed John Rocker.
Even the ‘vent’ pages on the
internet are full of anonymous
insults aimed at Rocker. At least
John was identified. Anonymous
insulting calls are Just about as
low as you can get. But that’s the
way of a coward. A coward John
Rocker isn't.
To amplify his ignorance, one
caller to a newspaper was quoted as
referring to Rocker’s comments as
being made by a guy who makes all
those millions and can’t handle it.
John Rocker was paid $242,000 by
the Braves last season. He is
unsigned, as of this writing, for
another season. Rocker has just one
year plus 147 days major league ser
vice. He has no bargaining power.
It’s very probable that I had the
opportunity to become the first
broadcaster to air a game in which
John Rocker pitched. I was fortu
nate enough to broadcast the GISA
state championship game in 1993
in Albany, when Rocker beat Strat
ford in the title game as First Pres
byterian won the state champi
onship.
Enough Rocker knocking is
enough. Let’s move on to some
thing else. Like spring training!