Quarterback Abens will have receivers to throw to when the opportunity arises: Paul Benigni (6-0, 170) and Chris Thompson (6-0, 170). Junior Paul Carbery (5-11, 175) has potential at linebacker, but if games are won in the trenches, this team is knee deep in linemen: Gary Matejcak (510, 185), Lou Glavan (5-11, 180), Jim Kane (5-10, 170), Doug McKay (5-10, 180) and Bob Healy (5-10, 190) are lettermen who Joliet fans are hoping will guide the Hilltoppers to another Illinois 4A championship. But it won't be easy. Joliet Catholic plays in one of the toughest high school football states in the country. And how about winning a third consecutive state championship? It doesn't happen very often. But it's not impossible. Even in Illinois.
7. Flint Southwestern MICHIGAN Sports fans throughout the country will argue forever about supremacy in high school football. Or any sport for that matter. Total population and interscholastic organization play a big part, and only in Texas is this exploited to the fullest - for the best, of course. Former University of Texas head coach Darrell Royal often said: "There are talented players and coaches everywhere. Texas certainly has no monopoly on high school football. But we've always been proud of the total Texas program. The overall organization, from junior high through college, is something to brag about." So is the University Interscholastic League, the governing body of Texas schoolboy sports, and their organized playoff system. States like Michigan and California should take notice: there are more than I ,000 high schools in Texas, yet the Lone Star State crowns an official state champion in every rank, from Class 4A schools through Class B schools - on the playing field. Last year was a perfect example in Michigan. The state produced two "big school" champs: Midland Dow in the playoffs and Flint Southwestern in the polls. Southwestern Community High School has won 25 of their last 26 games and were ranked No. I in Michigan by every media poll: A.P.. U.P.J.. Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press. The Lions outscored their nine opponents 400 points to !08, thumping such schools as Saginaw 71-0, Bay City Western 50-34, Flint Central 57-27, Saginaw Arthur Hill 44-22 and Flint Northwestern 60-6. Closest score was a 20-7 win over Midland following a 35-0 triumph of Bay City Central. Pontiac and Flint Northern also fell. But so did the Colts, ranked No. 12 in PREP I SEPT.-OCT.1977
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l.: Joliet Catholic coach Gordon Ullles,ale toppers march to the Illinois with 25 of his players from last MacDonald)
the nation at pre-season (National Prep, October/November, 1976), when the playoffs arrived. "The state has expanded the format for the 1977 playoffs," says head coach Dar Christiansen in trying to explain the Michigan championship insanity. "There will be two teams represented from each of the four playoff areas. Playoff points are accumulated as before with 80 points for a victory over a Class A team and 64 points for a win over a Class B school. "The problem arises for teams who are league members as we are. Each time a team we defeated wins a game, we receive eight bonus points. But if two teams we defeated play each other, the maximum number of bonus points we earn is eight. Therein lies the problem. A team with an independent schedule does not have its respective opponents playing each other, not limiting their number of bonus points. "That is how Midland Dow reached the playoffs last year and we didn't. I don't want to take anything away from them as they were a fine team, but there is no bonus for being a league champion; our state will soon have to recognize that," insists the Colts' head man. This fall 18 lettermen from Southwestern's mythical state championship team return with a goal to show the state of Michigan that last year they were the "real champions". As usual, Southwestern has speed to burn and should again be considered the top team in Michigan. Quarterback Gary Lee (6-4, 185) is the Lions' field general, while tailback Reggie
Dan Pesavento during Hillgone but Gillespie is back, along powerhouse. (Herald News photo by Bob narn""'Lf
Mitchell (5-9, 177) and fullback-linebacker Risto Nicevski (6-1, 210) round out the backfield. Senior Brian Carpenter (6-2, 175) doubles at split end and free safety. Christiansen inherited the Southwestern job in 1971 and has compiled a 47-7 record. His mighty Colts have won six consecutive Flint city championships; have won the Saginaw Valley title in 1971, 1973, 1974 and 1976; have earned the state's No. I ranking on several occasions and have been rated in the "Top 10" for the last six years in a row. Someone in Michigan should give the University Interscholastic League a call. A team which has produced the likes of Michigan quarterback Rick Leach, not to mention Booker Moore, Mel Edwards, Rick Patton and Gene Johnson, deserves the right to prove itself on the playing field, not in the newspaper.
8. Longview TEXAS No word can describe the Longview High School football program better than "winning". The winning tradition of the Lobos is a product of hard work and dedication to the goals of bringing to Longview one of the very best football pro-
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