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Check back every few days for updates!</b></div> <bR> <div> <B> <img src="HTMLobj-232/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="200" height="21">  </b></div> <bR> <div> <B> <embed src="HTMLobj-235/ontheair.wav" autostart="true" hidden="true">  </b><B> </b></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Arial" ><B>An Old-fashioned Reporter</b></FONT>     |     <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="An Oldfashioned Reporter"><U>home</U></A></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Background"><U>Background</U></A>   |   <B>The Latest</b>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Government Reporting"><U>Government Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cops Crime Coverage"><U>Cops & Crime Coverage</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Investigative Reporting"><U>Investigative Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Court Reporting"><U>Court Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Environment"><U>The Environment</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U>Features</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Religion Reporting"><U>Religion Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Entertainment Reporting"><U>Entertainment Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Columns Editorials"><U>Columns & Editorials</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photography"><U>Photography</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sports Reporting "><U>Sports Reporting </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prep Sports"><U>Prep Sports</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NASCAR"><U>NASCAR</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sports Columns"><U>Sports Columns</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="College Sports"><U>College Sports</U></A></div> <div> <I><B>The Latest</b></I><I><B> ... Hot off the Press</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B> <img src="HTMLobj-230/aniGif.gif" border="0" align="bottom" width="150" height="59">  </b></I></div> <div> <I><B>Dateline: May 11, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Griffin stuns East Coweta, 11-10</b></div> <div> <I><B>Bears eliminate Indians; advance to state AAAAA baseball Sweet Sixteen</b></I></div> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <div> SHARPSBURG, Ga. — The Griffin High School Bears mustered gutsy pitching and clutch hitting to massacre the East Coweta Indians Friday night, 11-10.</div> <bR> <div> By taking two out of three games against East Coweta --which entered the state playoffs with a 21-2 record --Griffin advances to the Sweet 16 level, and will face Wayne County beginning Wednesday.</div> <bR> <div> The Bears drew first blood Friday night when catcher Corey Rossi walked with the bases loaded after Griffin put together an infield single and two bunts, to take a 1-0 lead.</div> <bR> <div> However the Indians came roaring back, touching Bears starter Blake Canterbury for five runs in the top of the second inning. Canterbury walked the leadoff hitters on eight straight pitches, surrendered a single, another walk, back-to-back doubles, an infield error and another single. </div> <bR> <div> Quickly the Bears found themselves on the short end of a 5-1 score which could've been worse. Center fielder Jaimon Jones threw an East Coweta runner out at second after snagging a fly ball. With the score 6-1 Indians, head coach Jamie Cassady replaced Canterbury with Jake White.</div> <bR> <div> Sean Robison moved from first base to right field, Chris Thornton replaced White in left, and Canterbury later moved to first base. East Coweta's starter, senior Joe White -- 7-1 on the year -- was wild and had trouble throwing strikes, but managed to shut the Bears down in the bottom of the second. After a leadoff walk, Jake White retired the Indians in order in the top of the third.</div> <bR> <div> The Bears got three runs back in the home half of the third. An infielder's error and two walks loaded the bases for Kassian Driver, who slashed a two-run single into right center. Then Robison hammered another liner into left for a third run.</div> <bR> <div> Both pitchers settled down for the next two innings until Griffin rallied again in the bottom of the fifth. Rossi slammed a bullet off pitcher Joe White's right foot, with the ball deflecting to the Indians third baseman. But Rossi's head-first slide into first base beat the infielder's hurried throw. Canterbury launched a rocket that catapulted over the rightfield fence on one bounce. </div> <bR> <div> Then Driver lofted a flyball to left field, scoring Rossi. Robison slapped an infield single to the right of the mound, and Thornton slashed a liner into left field scoring Canterbury.</div> <bR> <div> Unfortunately the rally was snuffed when East Coweta's catcher caught Robison leaning the wrong way. After the junior was retired, two-to-six-to-five, Jones flew out to end the inning, with the score 7-5.</div> <bR> <div> Griffin's Jake White ran into trouble in the top of the sixth, giving up a leadoff single, throwing a wild pitch, then a second single to drive in another run. After he walked the next batter Cassady gave the ball to shortstop Daniel Evans, who hasn't spent much time on the mound of late.</div> <bR> <div> A hit batsman loaded the bases, and the next batter hit a sacrifice fly to make the score 9-5.</div> <bR> <div> East Coweta called on pitcher Brian Butts in the bottom half of the sixth. Butts, who threw 6-1/3 innings of relief in the nightcap of Thursday's twin bill, was tired and didn't have the velocity or control he exhibited the night before.</div> <bR> <div> After Evans lined a single into right field he was caught stealing and Griffin's prospects didn't look very bright.</div> <bR> <div> But second baseman Jeremy Beckham beat out a tapper for an infield single, Rossi likwise hoofed out an infield single, followed by a passed ball. Then Canterbury hit a line drive to center, plating Beckham. Driver hit a bounding ball to the shortstop who could've tossed the ball underhanded to the second baseman for the force out.</div> <bR> <div> Instead he flung the ball into right field, allowing two more runs to score. Griffin's Robison followed with a hard hit line drive to center field, giving the Bears a 10-9 lead.</div> <bR> <div> After the side was retired Evans gave up a single to lead off the top of the seventh, then hit a batter, who seemingly didn't attempt to get out of the way of the ball. The home plate umpire awarded him first base nevertheless. A flyout and a foul out to Evans put the Bears one out away from advancing.</div> <bR> <div> But with a two-strike count on the next Indian batter the umpire called what many though was a third strike a ball. Immediately Evans got rattled, walking the batter. He then hit the next batter who -- again -- didn't move, to force in the tying run.</div> <bR> <div> The Bears refused to lose, despite the reversal of fortune. Evans led off the bottom of the seventh with a groundball to the shortstop who fired it into the Griffin dugout. Butts then misplayed another grounder hit by Beckham. White was then intentionally walked to load the bases.</div> <bR> <div> Rossi sauntered to the plate, lifting a harmless foul pop-up off the first base line. But the East Coweta first baseman dropped the ball.</div> <bR> <div> Then Rossi lifted a flyball to medium left field, and Evans scampered across the plathe with the winning run.</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: April 25, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Bears' late rally beats Northside</b></div> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> Last minute heroics got Griffin's baseball team off the hook after it seemed that mental miscues and fielding gaffes would cost them Wednesday's home game against the Northside Eagles.</div> <bR> <div> Ultimately, timely hitting combined with several free passes and a bunt to shortstop gave the Bears a 7-6, come-from-behind victory.</div> <bR> <div> The Griffin nine found themselves in a hole from the onset, as a single, two errors and a wild pitch gave the Eagles an early 2-0 lead. A solo homerun in the top of the third increased Northside's lead to 3-0.</div> <bR> <div> Two walks, an error and a sacrifice fly off the bat of Griffin third baseman Jake White cut the Eagles lead to two runs in the third inning. Then - in the bottom of the fourth - Bears catcher Corey Rossi launched a moonshot beyond the leftfield fence to make the score 3-2.</div> <bR> <div> In the top of the fifth however, Griffin got sloppy. After an infield single and a strikeout Bears right-hander Bobby Cook hit a batter, and a passed ball put runners on first and third. A slow roller between the pitcher's mound and firstbase was fielded by Cook, who inexplicably sauntered toward first. The Northside runner beat Cook to the bag and one run scored. A single by another Eagle restored Northside's lead to three runs.</div> <bR> <div> Griffin got two runs back in the fifth when Jaimon Jones walked, Jeremy Beckham was hit by a pitch and Cook reached base on an error, allowing one run to score. Then Rossi ripped a single into centerfield, plating another run.</div> <bR> <div> Northside added another run in the top of the seventh innning to bolster the lead to 6-4, and Eagles relief pitcher Dennis Crimmins was blowing through the Griffin lineup. Then he got wild.</div> <bR> <div> Jones led off the bottom of the seventh with a walk, White drilled a line single into rightfield and Cook - attempting to bunt - slapped the ball to the shortstop, who had no play, loading the bases. Second baseman Kassian Driver was then hit by a pitch, forcing one run home. Rossi punched a Texas league single to centerfield, driving in the tying run. Then rightfielder Sean Robison - who had a tough night at the plate - hammered a single to right center, giving the Bears a 7-6 win.</div> <bR> <div> The win hikes the Bears' overall record to 11-10 on the year, and their region record to 6-5. Another regional opponent, Carver, visits Griffin Friday afternoon.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: April 1, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Brave new TV: An April Fool's gag?</b></div> <bR> <div> In their infinite wisdom, the Braves have announced they will henceforth rent small televisions so fans at Turner Field can watch Beavis and Butthead and Survivor if they get bored with the team's play.</div> <bR> <div> Huh? </div> <bR> <div> Atlanta's erstwhile major league baseball entry has decided they'll provide all the comforts of home to fans who feel compelled to monitor more than one passive activity at a time. For example, the home town ballclub and Three Stooges reruns simultaneously. Well, maybe not the Three Stooges. Wouldn't want to upstage the Braves that much.</div> <bR> <div> But...it's very possible that the Bravos came up with this brainstorm after realizing they could've simulcast last summer's Gold Club trial, thus allowing loyal fans to decide which Brave players accepted, uh, favors from some of the Gold Club denizens, that produced less than optimum performances on the field. </div> <bR> <div> Considering the farcical tint that organized sports has donned over the past year we should've expected this. I mean, now one can shell out $150 for a family of four to go to the Ted, and <I>then</I> plunk down additional lucre for a wireless TV monitor so the wife and kids can watch Mike Tyson eat some hapless "enemy's" children - or threaten to, anyway - all while semi-watching our favorite major league club.</div> <bR> <div> Perhaps they could put together some of the <I>Less Than Great Sports Highlights of 2001-2002</I>, to feed our frenzy for tawdry, vicarious and salacious interests.</div> <bR> <div> (Just for giggles, see if you can deduce what the following athletes and organizations did to deserve mention in my tongue-in-cheek Hall of Shame Broadcast Schedule. Clarification of the origin of each suggested show follows this column.)</div> <bR> <div> I can just picture it. We could have a couple of episodes concerning the ongoing trials and tribulations of big time athletics, such as <I>Darryl Strawberry's Best Busts (in and out of the Closet)</I>,<I> </I>or <I>Ken Caminiti's Greatest (Crack Pipe) Hits</I>.</div> <bR> <div> How 'bout <I>Mike Tyson Takes a Bite Out of (Fill-in-the-Blank)</I>,<I> </I>or <I>O.J. Simpson's Tips on How to Keep One's Cool in Heavy Vehicular Traffic</I>. Dexter Manley could host a talk show entitled, <I>Importing for Fun & Profit</I>.</div> <bR> <div> From the world of amateur athletics, perhaps Danny Almonte's family could put together a show on <I>Cutting and Pasting Birth Records for Illegal Aliens</I>.</div> <bR> <div> The list is seemingly endless. With such closed circuit television programming we could watch Nolan Richardson giving tips on <I>How to Get a Lump Sum Buyout by Cramming Both Feet in One's Mouth - on Network Television</I>, and tune into self-help programs like<I> Resume Writing That'll Get You Real Good Jobs </I>by George O'Leary. Giants second baseman Jeff Kent could produce an educational video entitled <I>Stunt Riding for Street Bikes...on the Sly</I>. </div> <bR> <div> Former Yankee Ruben Rivera could host a special on sports memorabilia, <I>Ruben's Tips for Heisting Equipment from Unsuspecting Teammates</I>, followed by <I>Ruben's Tips for Job Hunting during the Latter Part of Spring Training</I>.</div> <bR> <div> The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance could work on the TV sitcom, <I>How to Best Abandon All Human Decency While Simultaneously Rewarding Extreme Anti-Social Behavior</I>. And Bobby Knight could act as the panel moderator for a roundtable discussion on <I>Maintaining Calm Under Pressure</I>.</div> <bR> <div> And the Packers' Terry Glenn could host a lecture series on <I>How to Win a Super Bowl Ring Without Even Trying</I>.</div> <bR> <div> Finally, the Atlanta Falcons could launch a new program called, <I>Early Involuntary Retirement for Extremely Loyal Franchise Players</I>.</div> <bR> <div> Gee, ya know, I just might have to take some time off to try to bring some of these suggested closed circuit programs to fruition. Nahhhhhhhhhhhhh ... for that matter, supermarket tabloid TV never has appealed to me. Guess I'll leave it for Jerry Springer.</div> <bR> <div> The genesis of the above ficticious suggestions follow:</div> <div>  </div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Darryl Strawberry was thrown out of his drug treatment halfway house, in part, for having sex with a female patient in a closet. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ken Caminiti pleaded guilty to crack-related drug charges stemming from an off-season arrest. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Former heavyweight champ Mike Tyson once bit a piece off of one boxer's ear, and was accused of biting Lennox Lewis in the thigh two months ago. He's also publicly threatened to eat Lewis' children. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">O.J. Simpson was found not guilty of road rage charges in Miami recently. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Former NFL star Dexter Manley was found guilty of cocaine distribution charges in March. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Danny Almonte was the star Little League pitcher who hurled a no-hitter in the Little League World Series then was found to be two years too old to play Little League.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Nolan Richardson hammered his employers at the University of Arkansas, claiming everybody was against him because of his race, openly daring the university to buy out his contract. They did. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">George O'Leary fabricated his education and college football career on his resume, causing the University of Notre Dame to dump him after it named him head coach.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Ruben Rivera was released by the New York Yankees after he admitted stealing a bat and glove from teammate Derek Jeter. He later finagled a tryout with the Texas Rangers. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Tennessee's Commerce Department issued a boxing license so Mike Tyson could fight Lennox Lewis in Memphis. Tyson has been convicted of one rape charge and stands accused of two other sex crimes. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Bobby Knight, forced out of his head coaching job at Indiana because of his temper tantrums and tirades, immediately made a splash at Texas Tech this season by allegedly threatening to punch out the manager of his team's home court. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">All-star Giants infielder Jeff Kent, who initially reported he'd broken his hand while washing his car, apparently did so while riding his motorcycle, which he wasn't supposed to be riding unter terms of his contract. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Terry Glenn, former all-pro receiver for the New England Patriots, was suspended several times during the 2001 season, for failing drug tests and skipping practices. However the NFL Players' Association collective bargaining agreement requires the team to issue him a Super Bowl ring even though he didn't play at all in the post season. </div> <bR> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.gif" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="16" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The Atlanta Falcons blind sided all-pro Jessie Tuggle during training camp last year without notice, forcing him retire or be cut. Tuggle had too much class to condemn the team for the way it treated him. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Jerry Gutlon is Assistant Sports Editor of The Griffin Daily News</I>. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: March 26, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Slip sliding away</b></div> <div> <I><B>Lady Jags secure tourney bid</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> The only thing uglier than the weather Tuesday night was the hapless play of the visiting Pike County Lady Pirates at Memorial Stadium.</div> <bR> <div> The third-place Lady Pirates (7-5, 2-2) were in town to take on the second-place Lady Jaguars of Spalding High (9-3-1, 2-0), which defeated the visitors in the mud, rain and chill, 6-0.</div> <bR> <div> By the end of the 80-minute-long contest the officials were handing the Pike women cards like a busy blackjack dealer in a casino and — with three seconds left in an interminably long game — they gave one to a Pike coach, as well.</div> <bR> <div> It was a fitting end to a game that featured more pushing, shoving, flying feet and mud than a full-blown game of rugby. And fortunately for the home town crowd the Spalding crew absolutely swamped Pike from the opening kick.</div> <bR> <div> Mandy Atchison and Allison Davis were the big guns for Spalding, with Atchison collecting the hat trick — all three goals coming in the first half, no less — and Davis guarding the home goal like it was Fort Knox, taking part in her seventh shutout of the season. Joining Atchison and Davis in their heroics was a cast of thousands for the Lady Jags, as they dominated Pike.</div> <bR> <div> The teams played a scoreless tie through the initial 10 minutes of the game, which was played on a field of mud, with puddles obfuscating the sidelines. Then Spalding’s Whitney O’Connor lofted a low line drive into the lower left corner of the Pike goal, beyond the grasp of the diving Lady Pirate keeper at 29:43 of the first half.</div> <bR> <div> Less than six minutes later Atchison angled a 25-yard-long kick into the Pike net. Atchison tallied again at 22:53, when she booted the ball past keeper Karen Gibbons from about 15 yards out.</div> <bR> <div> Emily Goldstein made it 4-0 when she kicked a low, scudding kick that hit Gibbons, but dribbled into the net at 21:32.</div> <bR> <div> Atchison then earned her hat trick at 8:58 of the first half when Gibbons couldn’t contain a 10-yard-long kick after Atchison broke onto the Pike goaltender all by herself.</div> <bR> <div> The only other score in the game came off the strong right foot of Courtney Thurston, who drilled a free kick into the Pike net at 37:05 of the second half. </div> <bR> <div> Davis was superb in goal, although she was only challenged a handful of times. She made her first noteworthy stop at 15:30 of the first half when she stayed with a shot from a Pike player who broke in on her alone and let loose a drive from about 10 yards out.</div> <bR> <div> By the end of the game, the Pike players were showing their frustration, and the incidental physical play became more overt. Two Pike players were carded in the waning moments of the game, followed by one of the school’s coaches. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: March 17, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Griffin hammers North Clayton Eagles, 10-1</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> The Griffin High Bears mercilessly pummeled the North Clayton Eagles Saturday, drubbing the visitors 10-1 for the hometown nine's second victory of the season. </div> <bR> <div> Right-hander Jake White handcuffed the Eagles, limiting North Clayton to five hits and one unearned run. White walked one batter and struck out one in his complete game victory.</div> <bR> <div> With the win Griffin hikes its record to 2-4 on the year.</div> <bR> <div> "We got a good pitching performance from Jake White," lauded head coach Jamie Cassady. "He was throwing strikes and every time you get good defense you have a good chance at winning."</div> <bR> <div> The Bears took it to the Eagles in the bottom of the first inning, roughing up North Clayton's starter, Arturo Rodriguez,  for four hits and two bases on balls. Griffin first baseman Sean Robison launched a base-clearing triple to cap the five-run rally.</div> <bR> <div> Although Rodriguez was throwing bullets the young hurler was wild, hitting four Bears and walking five. He also had an extremely effective pick off move, picking three Bears off, two off of first base and one off of second base.</div> <bR> <div> The Bears collected seven hits and stole three bases on the day. Jeremy Beckham hit two singles and walked once, while Blake Canterbury logged a single and a triple.</div> <bR> <div> White was rolling along in fine fashion until the top of the sixth inning when, with two out, the Eagles put a man on first with a line drive single into leftfield. The next batter hit a slow roller to the right of the mound that Robison flung wildly toward thirdbase, allowing the unearned run to score.</div> <bR> <div> When Griffin managed to push two additional runs across the plate in the bottom of the sixth the Bears slammed the door on the visitors, and the game was called due to the mercy rule.</div> <bR> <div> "We played a good solid game defensively, and our hitting came around good today as well, and that's what it takes to win ballgames," noted Cassady.</div> <bR> <div> Griffin hosts Hardaway Tuesday evening at the high school complex. Cassady said he plans on starting freshman Cameron Childs on the mound. In his first appearance last week the young lefty earned a win over Riverside. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: March 11, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Stewart drives off with MBNA America 500 victory</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> HAMPTON, Ga. -- In a race that had a little bit of everything, Tony Stewart battled a half-dozen other Winston Cup hombres to emerge the winner of Sunday's MBNA America 500.</div> <bR> <div> In a race that featured 34 lead changes and only two accidents of note, Stewart contended for the checkered flag off-and-on all afternoon  beneath party sunny skies and a brisk north wind.</div> <bR> <div> Second-place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmy Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Ricky Craven, Ward Burton, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Dale Jarrett and several other drivers vied for the win as well.</div> <bR> <div> What it finally came down to was the solid horsepower afforded Stewart by his engine, in this, the first significant test of NASCAR's new, one engine rule.</div> <bR> <div> By the time Stewart crossed the finish line following lap 325, Earnhardt, Craven, Jeff Gordon and a host of other drivers were clearly resigned to being bridesmaids, each recognizing they had pushed their own engines as far and as hard as they could.</div> <bR> <div> Nearly the entire field of 43 drivers completed the grueling 500-mile race; only a handful - including pole-sitter Bill Elliott - were eliminated as the result of the two accidents, both occurring late in the race.</div> <bR> <div> Dick Trickle and John Andretti were also eliminated as the result of the two crashes.</div> <bR> <div> Brett Bodine, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, Jeff Green and Hut Stricklin found themselves on the outside looking in due to engine failure.</div> <bR> <div> Yet by the time the field had run 320 laps many of the engines had nothing more to give. Both Gordon and Craven said as much to their crews via radio reports.</div> <bR> <div> Stewart - who had been off to a slow start this season, including an early elimination at the Daytona 500 - was elated as he managed to stave off Little E for the final two laps.</div> <bR> <div> "We were good all day," declared Stewart while accepting the $175,000 in prize money. "We really didn't change that much. We had great pit stops. I'm really lucky to have this crew. All I have to do is drive the car."</div> <bR> <div> Disappointed he couldn't overtake Stewart, Earnhardt likewise praised Stewart's crew.</div> <bR> <div> "Tony's car was good," Earnhardt said. "He drove a great line around  the corner. That was hard to beat."</div> <bR> <div> Craven also tried to make up lost car lengths late in the race, but  couldn't.</div> <bR> <div> "We got down a little bit with a few problems we had. It didn't seem to have any muscle at the end, but we did very good for what we had."</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: March 10, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Cup drivers debate merits, effect of one engine rule</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> HAMPTON, Ga. - NASCAR's new one engine rule - which many racing professionals say will get its first major test today at Atlanta Motor Speedway - has already reared its ugly head.</div> <bR> <div> Fully 36 hours before the green flag was due to drop to start the MBNA America 500, Matt Kenseth - the winner of this year's Subway 400 - was forced to replace the engine in his Ford. The new rules change mandating the use of one engine for qualifying, practicing and racing relegated Kenseth to the rear of the field.</div> <bR> <div> The Wisconsin native - who qualified 32nd on Friday - blew his engine while completing his qualifying run and will now start in the 43rd position.</div> <bR> <div> "Something happened to the engine in qualifying," Kenseth said. "It started losing power a little bit and it just about died ... so I had to shut it off and stop running a second lap," perhaps a bad omen for Kenseth, who turns 30 today.</div> <bR> <div> From the very first race in which the one engine mandate took effect, drivers began dealing with a new, extremely unyielding rule, as Kurt Busch dropped from starting seventh to starting last after his team had to switch motors at Rockingham, N.C. due to a cracked cylinder. And veteran driver Dale Jarrett blew his engine on lap 145 in the Subway 400. Stacy Compton was another victim of the new rule.</div> <bR> <div> Yet most Winston Cup teams insist the one engine rule won't be put to the real test until today's grueling 500 mile road race on the fastest Winston Cup track that doesn't require the use of restrictor plates.</div> <bR> <div> "Atlanta will be the first real test of this new motor rule," declared Ernie Elliott, who builds engines for Sterling Marlin. "Obviously, Rockingham and Las Vegas were shorter races and a lot of us were fairly conservative. Here we're still conservative just because we're concerned about whether we'll make it because of the distance of the race and how hard you have to run the motors."</div> <bR> <div> Jeremy Mayfield agreed.</div> <bR> <div> "I think Atlanta has always been hard on engines because we run so fast," he said. "So this will be the ultimate test for the one-engine rule. I guess we'll see who is going to put it on the line for Atlanta."</div> <bR> <div> Ricky Craven, whose Ford Taurus uses Yates engines, said he's mindfull of the need not to demand too much from his motor, while Doug Yates predicted that some astute engine builders will manage to capitalize on the rule.</div> <bR> <div> "It's really a balance between the qualifying engines of last year and the race engines of last year," Yates said. "Somewhere in between is what you're going to end up with, so it's a real fine line."</div> <bR> <div> The rule, aimed at saving teams millions of dollars, will also curb the use of ultra-high powered engines designed only to last several laps at breakneck speeds.</div> <bR> <div> Busch, who qualified fourth on Friday, said his team played it close to the vest in practice. </div> <bR> <div> "We weren't going to practice that much," Busch confided. "We kept it conservative. We tested here and that's what we're going with."</div> <bR> <div> Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he doesn't think his engine could match the one he used to qualify in Atlanta last fall.</div> <bR> <div> "I feel like our race motors are so conservative that we're really not qualifying as good as we should have," Little E said. "I'm the type of guy who'll push the envelope a little bit and try to get the horsepower out of the motor even if it's a risk."</div> <bR> <div> But Bobby Labonte, the winner of last fall's NAPA 500 at AMS, claims the one engine rule won't last.</div> <bR> <div> "I think they'll change it and go back to the way it used to be," Labonte said. "(NASCAR is) trying to be like the Busch Series, but we run 500 miles while they run 300 miles. Let's say that if (Jeff) Gordon blows up or Ricky Rudd or Dale Jarrett - if some of those guys blow up a couple of times in a row, that's going to be it."</div> <bR> <div> Labonte said that the teams really don't have enough time to switch engines if something goes wrong the day before the race.</div> <bR> <div> "They close the garage area at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on Saturday so what are you going to do? Are you going to come in Sunday mornig at six? I don't know. It's a hairy thing."</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: Feb. 16, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Griffin girls earn</b></div> <div> <B>shot at region title</b></div> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. - There's an old, Sicilian saying that goes: "Everything that goes around comes around."</div> <bR> <div> To the everlasting chagrin of the Carver Columbus Lady Tigers Friday night, they found that their two regular season wins over Griffin's Lady Bears were simply a combination of friendly officiating and a lot of luck.</div> <bR> <div> Because when push came to shove Schwanda Jackson's Lady Bears simply dismembered a hapless Carver squad, 72-53, in the second round of the Region 2-AAAAA tournament at Baldwin High School.</div> <bR> <div> Momma Bear's women played their hearts out, with four scoring in double digits - Nakina Alford (24 points), Lari Parks (18 points), Tykira McDaniel (13 points) and Khaleelah Head (12 points).</div> <bR> <div> And despite foul trouble, some apparent muscle pulls and a distinct lack of height - with the exception of the 6-1 Head - the Lady Bears methodically buried the Lady Tigers, playing inspired basketball rarely seen at any level.</div> <bR> <div> Both sides started out slowly, with Carver holding onto a tenuous 8-7 lead with 4:40 left in the first period. But after that Griffin resembled a cat toying with a mouse, as Carver never led again.</div> <bR> <div> Jackson started four guards with Head as the single post player, and got a scare when it looked as if Head pulled a muscle in her ribcage at 4:28 of the initial frame. But the gutsy senior stayed in the contest. Then, only one minute into the second quarter, guard Jamilia Miller fell hard, and went limping off the court, sitting for several minutes.</div> <bR> <div> The mishaps seemingly had no bearing whatsoever on the game, as Griffin began to pull away early in the second period, maintaining at least an eight point lead thereafter. The Lady Bears had a comfortable 11-point lead at the half, but continued to pressure Carver. </div> <bR> <div> Head - once again playing without 6-foot teammate, Jennifer Richards - was absolutely unstoppable on the boards, pulling down more than a dozen rebounds, both defensively and offensively. She also provided Griffin with a big presence inside, resolutely maintaining her place beneath the basket, grabbing feeds, and lofting them into the hoop.</div> <bR> <div> Carver also found it virtually impossible to stop Alford, who - along with both Parks and McDaniel - frequently hit from three-point range.</div> <bR> <div> The Lady Tigers got rattled early, unable to keep up with Griffin's fast-break offense necessitated by the absence of Richards, who, Jackson said, probably suffered a fractured ankle last week and will no doubt miss the remaining playoff games.</div> <bR> <div> "I'm very proud of these girls," remarked Jackson. "They played hard and took care of the basketball. Our motto down the stretch is, 'In spite of.' In spite of our injuries ... our mediocre play at times ... some personal things and some other things that have happened, we're playing hard as a team. And I'm proud of them for that."</div> <bR> <div> Jackson had only eight girls suited for the game at Milledgeville on Friday night, and she used senior Donisha Gotell liberally, and underclassman Ashley Durden near the close of the contest. Durden played a key role in Wednesday night's win over Westside Macon when she subbed for McDaniel who had fouled out.</div> <bR> <div> "We brought the kids who have earned a varsity spot," Jackson said. "We appreciate what Ashley has done. She stepped in here and played hard and played loose. To do that as a freshman says something for her."</div> <bR> <div> Several Lady Bears were in foul trouble early Friday night, but none fouled out of the contest. Jackson then said both Head and Miller were fine physically and would be at 100 percent tonight when they face Baldwin at 7 p.m.</div> <bR> <div> "It's not me, it's them," Jackson said. "I give all the credit to them. They've been focused and have worked hard. I just stand there and tell them what to do. But these kids simply want to get it done. This is a special time of year here."</div> <bR> <div> In the late girls' game Friday night, Baldwin edged Warner Robins, 44-42, to earn the right to face Griffin tonight for the region championship. The winner will be the first seed in the state playoffs, while the loser will have the second seed.</div> <bR> <div> Jackson said the Lady Bears need to play their game with the personnel they have, and not look back.</div> <bR> <div> "Yeah, we're missing a post player but with four guards we can really run with the ball," she said. "We're trying to emphasize what we do have, not what we don't have."</div> <bR> <div> Lastly, she said, her girls need to spread the scoring around.</div> <bR> <div> "Every game we spread the scoring around we've won," noted Jackson. "When everybody sits back and relies on Nakina to hit for 30 points we lose."</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: Feb. 14, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Bear with a cause</b></div> <div> <I><B>Petway wants to reach for the stars</b></I></div> <bR> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> Brent Petway has a whole handful of goals - but only one immediate one.</div> <bR> <div> The 6-8 Griffin High School junior wants to win the state basketball championship. Make that <I>two</I> state basketball championships - one this year and another next year.</div> <bR> <div> And if this polite, soft-spoken yet intense young man can impart his earnest determination to his teammates there's no telling where the Bears basketball bandwagon could go this season.</div> <bR> <div> "My whole family played basketball and I can't think of anything else I'd rather do," Petway said in a voice so soft one has to strain to catch his words. "I want to win a state championship this year. I want to win a state championship next year. In my whole life all I ever wanted to do was to go to a big time college and then go to the NBA. It's the game I love."</div> <bR> <div> That's a mouthful for the reticent, shy transfer student who came to Griffin this year from Union Grove High School in McDonough. In fact, that one statement exceeded the sum total of all the words he'd ever spoken around the adults who've interacted with the team throughout the 2001-2002 basketball season.</div> <bR> <div> "Brent is one of those very special players you can have once or twice throughout your entire coaching career," declared head coach Ferris Qualls.</div> <bR> <div> Until this season Petway had been on the winning side four times in his first two years of high school - three wins at Eagle's Landing in his freshman year, and a single victory at Union Grove last season. The experience makes Petway want to win even more, and has set him apart from some of his teammates.</div> <bR> <div> "Some of the guys on the team joke around a lot," Petway noted, "and they probably think I'm too much like Coach. But I want to win a state championship. I told them earlier this year that I'd only won four games in high school, and I've played varsity all along. So I want to win now and I want everybody else to work hard with me."</div> <bR> <div> Nobody can question Petway's drive to excel or his work ethic.</div> <bR> <div> "Most of the time the best players have a great work ethic," Qualls said. "And just him being here helps us even more."</div> <bR> <div> The junior speaks of Qualls with a measure of reverence in his voice.</div> <bR> <div> "Mainly Coach Qualls pushes me harder than any other coach I've ever had," said Petway. "My other coaches pushed me but they never pushed me as hard as Coach Qualls. That's probably been the biggest change in my coming to Griffin."</div> <bR> <div> Although most high school players are subject to streaky play, no one has been able to point a finger at Petway's efforts in his first year as a Bear. Yet he said he's unhappy at his performance this season.</div> <bR> <div> "I don't think I've played up to my expectations at all," confided Petway. "I've been really inconsistent. But even if I'm not having a good night on offense, I always play defense because that's what Coach Qualls always says we need to do. I think I've hurt the team in most of our games."</div> <bR> <div> Petway said he doesn't appreciate it when opponents deliberately hammer him physically.</div> <bR> <div> "It really gets too frustrating sometimes," said Petway. "It makes me want to step back and throw a few elbows. But my Mom and Dad and Coach all say I have to walk away from it. Mainly when I was growing up my Mom disciplined me a lot so I wouldn't get (out of hand). I don't let too many things get me mad or anything like that."</div> <bR> <div> Suprisingly, 16-year-old Brent is something of a renaissance man, as he said he likes French, Algebra II, writing poetry, sports and adventure movies, surfing the Internet and playing video games. His favorite music?</div> <bR> <div> "Anything with a good tempo to it - mostly Gospel and hip-hop," he said.</div> <bR> <div> That's understandable since his mother - vice principal at Kelsey Middle School - is also the pastor of a local church.</div> <bR> <div> Qualls predicts that Petway will provide some leadership on the team in the future. "I think being new to the team he didn't feel comfortable in taking a leadership role," Qualls said. "But he could do it. He's a real good kid and I can easily see him becoming more vocal and more of a leader."</div> <bR> <div> With a 3.1 grade point average, Petway hasn't had a tough time at Griffin High - except in one specific area.</div> <bR> <div> "I carry a basketball every place I go - everywhere," he said. "But this year they stopped me from carrying it around school because they said it was a distraction. Everywhere else I go I try to have one with me."</div> <bR> <div> Qualls has seen many players come and go in his nearly 30 years of coaching. But, he said, young men the caliber of Petway are rare.</div> <bR> <div> "He's really good. He can be a very special player. I need to stay on him and stay on him so he can make the plays he needs. He's never been to the state playoffs before so this could be his coming out party. We just need to win seven games - one at a time."</div> <bR> <div> Brent said anything's possible.</div> <bR> <div> "I feel pretty confident," he said quietly. "We need to go into the tournament with a lot of determination and bring (the championship) back to 'The House.' I just want to get to that game March 6 at the Macon Coliseum and bring that state championship back. And then another one next year."</div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: Feb. 2, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Bears rock The House</b></div> <div> <B>By JERRY GUTLON</b></div> <div> <I>Daily News Assistant Sports Editor</I></div> <bR> <div> Call it Kemo Therapy.</div> <bR> <div> Although the Griffin Bears’ decisive win over Carver Columbus Friday night was decidedly a team effort, it was the littlest Bear who iced the game for the home town squad.</div> <bR> <div> Kemo Spear — a point guard who stands perhaps 5-5 on a good day — calmly strolled to the free throw line late in the contest and poured in five of seven free throw attempts to put the game out of the reach of the visiting Tigers.</div> <bR> <div> But Spear’s contributions went far beyond his clutch free throw shooting, as he constantly fed the Bears’ big guns — Brent Petway, Dominique Gilbert, Jay Brown and Dondi Thomas — who repeatedly made clutch baskets of their own.</div> <bR> <div> The junior also pirated the ball away from sundry Tigers throughout the contest, and again grabbed four rebounds in a game that handicaps him simply because of his size.</div> <bR> <div> Despite Spear’s phenomenal efforts, the rest of the Bears played true team basketball for one of the few times this season. Behind for the first three quarters, Griffin made its move early in the fourth set.</div> <bR> <div> With the teams tied 42-42, Spear opened the period by shuttling the rock to Petway who slam dunked the ball, bringing a crowd of more than 1,000 to its feet. </div> <bR> <div> Carver wasn’t willing to go quietly, as every time the Bears managed to increase their lead to four or six points, another Tiger would draw his squad to within striking distance.</div> <bR> <div> Tempers flared twice during the contest, with Thomas and Carver’s Steve Davis pulled from the game early in the second half. Then later big Daryl Neal was ejected from the game after he elbowed Petway one too many times. After Neal’s ejection, it was young Spear who went to the foul line to drain three of four foul shots awarded to Griffin on the technical, pushing Griffin’s lead to nine points, 53-44, with less than five minutes left.</div> <bR> <div> Petway accounted for 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds, and played a marvelous game down the stretch. Thomas tallied 12 points, including two big 3-point baskets, and Gilbert scored nine points and had six rebounds in Griffin's 66-53 victory. </div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <I><B>Please note:</b></I></div> <div> <I><B>The following two stories were dictated entirely from notes concerning the two basketball games.</b></I></div> <div> <I><B>Dateline: Jan. 16, 2002</b></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Lady Jags hammer Greenville</b></div> <bR> <div> GREENVILLE, Ga. - The Spalding High Lady Jaguars easily defeated the Greenville Lady Patriots Tuesday night 61-42.</div> <bR> <div> Led by Nene Starks (16 points), Amina Fears (12), Alexis Alexander (12) and Tiana Starks (10), the Lady Jags blew out Greenville after half-time. The contest was a seesaw battle early on, with Greenville leading by one to three points throughout much of the first 12 minutes of the game.</div> <bR> <div> The Lady Jags played a particularly aggressive brand of basketball and really turned the heat up late in the second quarter to take a 30-27 lead at the half. The second half, however, was all Spalding, and the off-balance Lady Patriots had problems hitting both from the floor and the foul line.</div> <bR> <div> Although the Lady Jaguars shot only 20 percent from the free throw line in the first half they reversed themselves in the second, hitting a number of crucial free throws to build on a double-digit lead.</div> <bR> <div> "I thought Amina Fears played one of her best games of the year," said head coach Ken Martin. "She is a smart player and handles the ball really well. People don't expect her to be able to run the point as well as she does."</div> <bR> <div> Alexander and Fears each played an aggressive game at guard repeatedly stealing passes and leading court-long charges that culminated in Lady Jag baskets.</div> <bR> <div> The Lady Jags go to 10-5 overall and 4-2 in Region 5-AA South with the win.</div> <bR> <div> "I was pleased, especially because we had some people come off the bench and step in, in key roles," said Martin.</div> <bR> <div> Spalding continues its season with home games Friday against Manchester and Saturday against Pike County. Both are sub-region games. </div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Dateline: Jan. 16, 2002</b></I></div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Spalding ousted from first-</b></div> <div> <B>place by Greenville Patriots</b></div> <bR> <bR> <div> GREENVILLE, Ga. - The Class AA No. 6-state ranked Greenville Patriots pummeled the Spalding Jaguars Tuesday night, 78-56.</div> <bR> <div> The Jaguars were not only badly outscored but out muscled and out hustled. Early in the game the Jags matched the Patriots step for step and basket for basket.</div> <bR> <div> At the end of the first quarter Greenville led 15-13. But Greenville's speed and brute strength quickly wore down Spalding's efforts. After Spalding tied the game 15-15, following a Todd Buff steal and a basket by Rashad Davis, Greenville blew Spalding out of the building.</div> <bR> <div> By 5:46 in the second quarter Greenville had taken a five-point lead, 20-15, and Spalding never got any closer. Although the Jaguars stole a number of passes they couldn't convert the steals into baskets and never did get untracked in the second half. Spalding trailed by 14 at the half, 37-23.</div> <bR> <div> Things got no better in the second half. Rashad Davis was high scorer for Spalding with 20 points and point guard Todd Buff chipped in nine. However, Buff's contributions shouldn't be underestimated as he was all over the court and made a number of steals.</div> <bR> <div> Going into the game SHS head coach Darrell Evans said that he'd need stellar performances from several of his players, including Kenny Smith, Jeffrey Peeples, and Trent Clark. However, those three combined for only 21 points, with Smith scoring one basket to open the game and slam dunking his only other basket with 1:20 left in the contest.</div> <bR> <div> "They just quit, pure and simple," Evans declared. "That's the bottom line."</div> <bR> <div> Compounding matters for Spalding (9-6 overall, 5-1 sub-region), both Pete Driver and Travis West missed the contest. Driver aggravated his surgically repaired knee Saturday night and sat the game out as a precaution, while West had complained of chest pain and was told by the doctor not to suit up for the game.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="id17.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Background"><U>Background</U></A>   |   <B>The Latest</b>   |   <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Government Reporting"><U>Government Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Cops Crime Coverage"><U>Cops & Crime Coverage</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Investigative Reporting"><U>Investigative Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Court Reporting"><U>Court Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Environment"><U>The Environment</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id25.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U>Features</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id26.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Religion Reporting"><U>Religion Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Entertainment Reporting"><U>Entertainment Reporting</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id28.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Columns Editorials"><U>Columns & Editorials</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id29.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Photography"><U>Photography</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id30.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sports Reporting "><U>Sports Reporting </U></A>   |   <A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Prep Sports"><U>Prep Sports</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id38.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="NASCAR"><U>NASCAR</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id31.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Sports Columns"><U>Sports Columns</U></A>   |   <A HREF="id39.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="College Sports"><U>College Sports</U></A></div> <div> Like what you see? 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