Moeller High School 1976-77 Prep Sports Magazines

ati Moe/ FO TBALL PRE Teams

CROSS COUN RY PRE VIE Moeller ~II, Tim Koegel

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Premiere Issue Joe Namath's National Prep Sports ' FOR SOME TIME many of you have shared our feeling that there was a very real need for a National High School sports magazine covering the very best in America ... Now it's here ... Joe Namath's Nati.onal Prep Sports Magazine (see center of magazine for Joe Namath's letter to you).

In our quest for information we have heard from writers, coaches, school administrators, ¡ athletes and sports buffs from all over the nation, many of whom have followed a specific high school sport for many years. They have gone far beyond the provincialism that normally prevails in selecting and ranking outstanding high school teams and individuals nationally.

In this issue Art Judge of California ranks football teams and players representing the best in America. Art Johlfs' National Sports News Service of Minneapolis talks about hockey, skiing and basketball. The Southwest Sports News Service features Frank Kush, NCAA Football Coach of the Year, and his famous passing offense. Marc Bloom of New York previews cross country for the first time ; nati.onally.

Scores of others have made this first issue

truly national. In our next issue we will be hearing from the Canadian Scouting Report and many others. With more than . 30,000 high schools in America, the United States and Canada, it is a monumental task to keep in touch with all schools and leagues.

In this issue we have covered over 600 outstanding high schools and their athletic accomplishments. However, much more information is needed to keep in total touch with America, so we need your help.

Write to the editor. Share with him and our readers your many years of following the High School (Prep) Sports Scene.

Join in the excitement of letting America know where the very best is being accomplished in all minor, as well as the more publicized major sports.

All of our team, Don Maynard, ex-New York Jet, Ray Scott, national sportscaster, Barry Sollenberger, editor, as well as Joe Namath, Associate Publisher, share a common interest -that of honoring young achievers associated with the high school sports arena and all its activities. Won't you join our team?

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Kenneth A. Welch Publisher

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W. Namath ¡Associate Publisher

d?a.!s~ Editor

3 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

CONTENTS VOL. 1, NO. 1, OCTOBER-NOVEMBER, 1976 COVER STORY No. 1: Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio

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FOOTBALL PREVIEW Nation's Top 20 Teams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Others To Watch ..................................... 20 All-America Teams ................................... 22 WRESTLING The Mayfield Mangler . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 CROSS COUNTRY National Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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BASKETBALL Top Teams in 1976 ..................................

Ralph Tasker: 600 Victories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Best of the Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

All-America Team ....................................

36 39 40 41

GIRLS BASKETBALL Top Teams in 1976 .................................. 42 Best of the Rest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 HOCKEY Hamden Hockey Haven

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SKIING Cloquet Skis To Victory ...... .._ ....................... 52 COLLEGE FOOTBALL Arizona State's Aerial Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Barry Sollenberger, Editor Manya Winoted, Editorial Atsociate Steve Guss, Editorial Associate Editorial Contributoro: Art Judge Art Johlfs Nelson Tennis Marc Bloom Ray Birmingham Manny Marquez Phil Pierson Aaron Keen

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Editorial and Marketing Auociateo Don Maynard Ray Scott Kenneth A. Welch, Publlther Joseph W. Namath, Associate Publisher Barbara Flaxman, Publisher's Assistant Doug Oeuss, Production Manager Ed Choate, Production Assistant Joy Johnston, Production Assistant Tom Wells, Production Assistant

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COVER- Moeller Hl11h ol Clnclnnel/, Ohio Is the n1tton's pre-season pick, and 08 Tim Koe11el w/11 be • lray "11ure II Moeller pl•n• to brlnll home the Ohio otete ch•mplon· ship tor the 1econd year In 1 row.

In The West National Prep Sports Network Norm Mack, Arizona Advertising Manager & National Advertising Coordinator 4707 N. 12th Street Phoenix, Az. 85014 602-248·8900 SOLD: at newsstands throughout the U.S.A. Published bimonthly, six times par year. Offices located at 4707 N. 12th Street. Phoenix, Arizona, 85014. Phone (602) 248·8900. Subscription rates: $6.00 per year. Send change of address to Notional Prep Sports, 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix. Arizona, 85014. Second class postage paid at Phoenix, Arizona and Glasgow. Kentucky.

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Copyright 1976, National Prep Sporto Network. All Rightl Reoervtd.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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The Nation's Top 20 IN THE OPINION of many football buffs - excluding those from the state of Texas, of course - no state in America can match the caliber of high school football as it is played and coached in Ohio. For the past 35 years the Buckeye State has been a nursery for future All-Americans and professional stars; a training ground where illustrious legendary coaches like Paul Brown and Chuck Mather first learned their trade. There are many reasons for the great success of Ohio high school football. Their tradition of painstaking organization and disciplined training can serve as a model for every football coach who aspires to building a winning program. Outstanding coaching, superb physical conditioning, tough mental attitudes and strong community and administrative support have consistently turned out powerhouses like the famed Massillon Tigers, once called "the greatest high school football program in the land." With feeder systems that draw on football talent at an early age, Ohio high school football points the path any coach can follow toward a glorious winning tradition, year after year.

Many coaches have turned green with envy when reading about Ohio schools like Massillon and Warren Western Reserve, but these celebrated championship machines are not alone.

Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Niles McKinley, Warren Harding, Upper Arlington and Canton McKinley- to name just a few -have also blazed a championship path through Ohio's rich and glorious football forest. Schoolboy teams from Ohio are annually ranked among the best in America, and 1976 should be no different. Just ask Moeller High of Cincinnati.

The defending Ohio champions defeated Cleveland St. Edwards 14-12 in the 1975 title game and enter their 14th year of varsity football under head coach Gerry Faust. With 116 wins, 16 losses and two ties, Moeller plays in the tough Greater Cincinnati League, and having played outstanding non-league opponents, this makes the Fighting Crusaders' record more spectacular. Last year Coach Faust returned 20 lettermen from a team which finished 10-0 in 1974, but were faced with many gaps to fill and a lack of experience at key skill positions. So much for a lack of experience. The Crusaders maintained the great tradition of winning football at Moeller, finished 12-0 on the season and were ranked 4th in the nation by one news service and 6th by another.

They also accomplished their goal of compiling a championship season for Tom Zaferes, who died last summer fighting a fire at the Greater Cincinnati Airport. A great inspiration to athletes at Moeller High, Zaferes volunteered his services as the Crusaders' kicking coach and did an outstanding job.

Proud of its academic achievements in the past 13 years, as well as its well-rounded athletic program, Moeller offers seven additional varsity sports, and Principal Father Krusling works endless hours to make his school one of the best educational institutions in Ohio. Over 160 boys received college scholarships in the past 13 years, and less than 50 have given up their scholarships and of these only 14 quit college. With 970 boys, Moeller's enrollment is the third smallest in the Greater Cincinnati League.

A graduate of the University of Dayton and Xavier University, Gerry Faust has built Moeller into the most feared football machine in Cincinnati, if not all of Ohio. His teams have won the GCL championship seven out of 13 years and finished runner-up six times. Six out of the seven years the city championship crown has existed, Moeller has carted off all the gold. Only in 1972, when Princeton High turned the tables, has Faust failed to land the city crown. Ranked in the "Top 5" in Ohio seven out of 13 years, Moeller landed the state UPI and AP title in 1974 before officially latching on to the 1975 championship trophy. For 13 years the Crusaders have averaged 27.4 points per game to their opponents 5. 7, and six of their teams have finished undefeated.

Although 20 boys a year go to college on aid for football, fans of PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

Barry Sollenberger/ Art Judge

the Crusaders have a chance to see what could possibly develop into Moeller's greatest season of all: 1976.

Keeping with the spirit of '76, the Fighting Crusaders appear loaded with bright and talented prospects, led by pre-season AllAmerican QB Tim Koegel (cover). The 6-4, 195-pound signal caller, who along with Tom Clifford of Cincinnati Colerain promise to be two of the best in Ohio, won't be alone as Moeller fights to defend its crown. There are linemen like Jim Brown (65, 255), linebackers like Bob Crable (6-3, 205) and place kickers like Ken Naber (6-3, 170) who college scouts from coast-to-coast would like to have. Altogether, Faust and his staff of II assistants (the Crusaders have 13 managers) return 40 warm bodies which helped blaze a championship trail through hot Ohio competition . week-after-week. Besides Koegel, Brown, Crable and Naber, Moeller returns halfbacks Tim Tepe, Dave Orth, Mike Staun, Steve Behm, Terry Elmlinger, Bob Massong, Jim Riesenberg, John Cianciola, Kirby Clark, Rick Hubbard, Steve Puthoff and Gary Curry; quarterback Bill Long; linebackers Tom Quick, Dave MacArthur, Karl Woods, Chip Fry and George Willis; receivers Dave Burns, Ric Flauding, Ernie McClain, Steve Givens and Dave Condeni; tackles Jim Gross, Jim Schipper, Ric Oaks, Joe Witzman, Mike Helgeson, Dan Donnelly, John Budde, Terry Brenner and Carl Rahe; guards Jim Wagner, Bob Lockwood and Dave Naber; and center Kevin Yoas.

The big job behind the scenes is often the most important one, and year-after-year Moeller adds to its "big-scale" football program. Thirteen managers help give backbone to the ¡crusaders' program, spending many hours working to have everything ready and in tip-top shape by game time. Not a glamorous job, but nevertheless an important position; the managers are "players" the varsity coaches are thankful for.

Dick Pohlman was the only loss through graduation last spring, with 12 of 13 managers returning for 1976, including head office manager Tim Zimmer, head trainer Brian Barnhorn, head outside manager Paul Sayer, offensive line manager Rob Weisgerber, defensive line manager Mark Pegram, defensive linebacker manager Dan Imbronyev, defensive backfield manager Ron Russell, offensive line manager Jim Lotz, offensive backfield manager Jim Tappe!, head reserve manager Tom Selzer, reserve manager Bob Berlier and assistant office manager Mike Buenger. If you play football they take good care of you at Cincinnati Moeller.

It has been a tradition each year for the letter winners of the previous year to elect four co-captains for the next year.

Two boys are selected from the offensive team and two from the defensive team, and all four appear together next to the statue of Our-Lady-Of-Moeller at the front of the Crusaders' !50-page pre-season football press guide. This press book, one of the biggest and best in America, gives the interested fan and members of the news media an inside look at Moeller High School athletics early in September.

Like in most Ohio "championship schools," players are developed into Spartan readiness with proven practice methods and off-season programs gleaned from championship teams throughout the years. Drills, exercises, weight training, fitness tests and pointers on sleep, rest and diet are used by many to build well-organized physical training programs that balance hard work and fun. Winning coaches in Ohio are past masters of the art of molding teams of inspired, disciplined athletes who give that extra second effort of champions, and Moeller High is no different.

The 1976 season will be a real challenge for the Crusaders, to say the least. Not many schools in a state the size of~hio.repeat as state football champions, especially with schools hke Fmdlay,

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Youngstown Mooney and Warren Western Reserve lurking in the shadows.

But win or lose the big gold trophy, the grand scale program at Cincinnati Moeller is a legacy Ohio can be proud of.

2.

Santa Fe Springs St. Paul

CALIFORNIA St. Paul High in Santa Fe Springs, California is annually one of the nation's top prep elevens. The Swordsmen compete in the murderous Angelus League, considered one of the toughest in the country. St. Paul is a member of the CIFSS, which has close to 500 schools in the district and the playoffs are brutal, to say the least. "To get in the championship game takes a lot of luck and no injuries," claims their successful head coach, Marijon Ancich. Although he coaches in a coed school of I ,300 students, St. Paul competes in the CIF's 4A division, where average school enrollment is 2,500 and over. There are no soft touches on St. Paul's schedule, and competition in this California hotbed is of top-notch caliber.

In the 15 years under Ancich,. the Swordsmen have scored 3,650 points to I ,219 for the opponents- a 23.0 to 7.6 per game average for the 159 games played and a 128-26 win-loss record. With the completion of the 1975 season, the young men of St. Paul completed their third perfect (9-0) regular season in the last four years. They have won 39 of the last 40 games played in Cranham Swordsmen Stadium (14 of the last 19 by shutout), with a current home win streak at 34 games. The Swordsmen have captured six of the last eight Angelus League titles, and for the fourth time last fall finished the regular season as the CIF-Southern Section's top ranked team. They have entered Cl F -SS playoff competition for nine consecutive years, the longest current streak in the CIF-SS, and are the only Catholic High School to accomplish this.

The Blue and White Swordsmen will open their 1976 campaign against a fine wishbone team in Millikan of the tough Moore League. They have 18 starters back and will be out to avenge a 30-0 loss to St. Paul in 1975. L.A. city powerhouse Banning, cross-town rival Santa Fe, Pius X, Servite, St. Anthony, and Mater Dei are just several schools which dot the Swordsmen schedule, not to mention Bishop Amat, which spawned the likes of Pat Haden, John McKay Jr. and John Sciarra. But trying to corral the likes of junior sensation Rick Valenzuela will be a task that keeps foes of the Swordsmen PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

awake all summer. Along with stopping teammates Randy Meacham, Tim Cowan, Chuck Willig, Nick Lozica, Matt Stanovich, Gary Gibson, Bryan Graves, AI Granado, Alan Barela, Mike Trapletti, Phil Mandichak, Phil Gough, Randy Reynoso, Paul Cederwall, Marco Geich, Bob Wilczynski, Tom Gilmartin, Joe Viele and Will Lloyd, to name just a few of many returning lettermen.

California, the cream of the national high school sports crop, is loaded again.

Teams like Fresno Edison, San Jose Santa Teresa and Los Angeles Banning will be heavily scouted by college recruiters, but when the dust clears after another Cl F gridir01~ schedule, the Swordsmen from Santa Fe Spririgs St. Paul should starid head ' and shoulders above them all..

3. Mountain Brook ALABAMA Mountain Brook, Alabama, one of the nation's Top 20 teams in 1975, will have a new coach for the 1976 campaign, but the season should be a good one in spite of the tremendous challenge for Rick Rhoades.

"This year presents a great challenge to us," warned Rhoades in July. "I arh starting my first year at Mountain Brook and you can see I have a tough act to follow. It can be a good year for us if we can avoid injuries and develop depth through our younger players. But we need help in our offensive line and secondary."

Last year the Alabama state champs finished 13-0 on the season. For Rhoades' 1976 offense the defending champs will be led by quarterback Richard Burg and fullback Major Ogilvie. Both were outstanding performers in 1975, Major landing first team all-state honors and Burg honorable mention. Halfback Billy Morris, wide receiver Sam Price, tackle George Nakos, center Bob Shoulders and tight end Rich Lipscomb round out the offensive returners. Defensively, key performers include Keith Bouchillens at linebacker, John Pasker and Max Nieman at tackle and Lang 'Burroughs at middle guard.

Bragging has always been a favorite trait .of most Texans. Fans from Texas, Ohio and California will never agree on many things, but when a Texan climbs

onto his (or her) soap box and starts a sideshow pitch about high school football in the Lone Star State, you can believe it's more than just bragging.

'The coaching is better than it has ever been, and the physical condition and potential of boys nowadays is at an alltime high," says Doug Ethridge of defending AAAA champion Port NechesGroves. Texans state no claim about having the best schoolboi grid teams in the nation, although there are some that will argue the p·oint; but they do insist that their overall prep football program is the largest in the world. ' ' The massive 1976 gridiron derby Will involve almost 75,000 boys who will play around 6,000 games in front of nearly 10,000,000 fans ·before state champions are crowned in December. Teains like Baytown Lee, Lufkin,· Houston Kashmere, Odessa and Pittsburg should be dynamite, but the team to watch could be. Mesquite and the player to watch could be blue-chip QB Mike Ford (6-3, 205). Like its tree namesake, Mesquite has grown and grown in the last two years, ;1nd this time around could find their way into the AAAA title game. But as always, upsets are only a part of the rough and rocky road that leads to state championships in the Texas schoolboy football campaign.

5.

Pittsburgh Central Catholic

PENN. In the past six years. at Central Catholic High School, the Vikings have lost only eight games playing the very best competition in the tri-state area. Each year they were ranked in the top five in western Pennsylvania, and twice were the No. I ranked club. "One of the areas we are most proud of is the number of youngsters who have furthered their education through participation in college football," says head coach Joe Scully. "And we graduate our people a year to a year-anda-half younger than the national average."

Scully has been the head football coach at Central Catholic since 1970, winning 44 and losing 12 against the toughest AAA opponents in the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL), as well as the best teams in the Pittsburgh Catholic League. In 1970-71, the Vikings were runner-up in the PCL, but in 1972, 1973 and 1975 they were champions.

This year the Vikings look bigger, stronger, faster and more talented than ever before. "We are expecting a banner year," adds Scully, "even though we hate to admit it publicly." If nine Central Catholic seniors live up to their pre-season continued

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6. Vestal NEW YORK

SLAM DUNK - It was a great play, but in the wrong sport. Wide receiver Percy Gilbert of San Diego High "stuffs" touchdown catch during 27-7 loss to San Diego Madison. Gilbert's team once ruled the football world of Southern California when San Diego was the only high school in the area, but today over one dozen schools compete in the tough city league. Prior to World War II, San Diego High competed in Southwestern Interscholastic League with Tucson, Arizona; Phoenix Union, Arizona; El Paso, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico, and Albuquerque, New Mexico, to name a few.

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billings, the Vikings should improve on their 8-1-1 record of a year ago. Running back Robert Bartley (6-3, 190) is a twoyear starter with 4.8 forty speed; tackle Greg Bernaciak (6-2, 215) is also a twoyear starter; guard J.L. Blumenthal (5-10, 210) runs forty yards in 4.8 seconds an4 has the strength to bench press over 300 pounds; junior defensive tackle Richard D'Amico (6-3, 200) transferred in and could have started as a sophomore; center Joe Goldcamp (6-2, 195) runs the forty in 4.8 seconds and was the fifth best intermediate hurdler in the state; senior John Loughran (6-3, 205) plays either defensive end or defensive tackle, then switches to tight end on offense; tackle Terry Quirin (6-3, 212) is another two-year starter with extremely quick feet, super explosion, excellent strength and one of the hardest workers on the team; linebacker Sal Sunseri (6-1, 215) is a terrific hitter who

started for three years for Coach Scully and is picked as one of the 11 best players in Pennsylvania; QB Wally Walczak (5-10, 180) should have started as a junior but was knocked unconscious during a 0-0 tie with Gateway. Major college scouts who have seen him throw in practice classify him as "excellent." .

Scully has coached three prep AllAmericans, four "Big 33" players, six allstate players, and has had 44 youngsters named to All-Catholic league honors. In the past seven years over 60 boys have been offered full or partial grants-in-aid to colleges and universities and 15 have received full NCAA scholarships. He's coached three undefeated teams, six championships, and in 1974 helped coach the Pennsylvania's all-star offense to a thrilling 14-7 win over Ohio in the "Big 33" game at Hershey, Pa. His overall record is 93-29-3.

Vestal, New York, ranked No. 6 in America by oile national wire service and No. 9 by another, went undefeated (9-0) in 1975, continuing a string of 35 games without defeat (34-0-1) since 1972. The Golden Bears, coached by Dick Hoover, have been ranked in the Top 10 in New York State competition every year since 1969. Last year's offense featured a well-balanced attack led by quarterback Bill Krivyanik, who could pass and effectively run the option. The offensive line of average size was quick ¡ and was anchored by Kell Purdy, a 210-pound all-state center. The backfield featured junior Guy Powell, a speed merchant at 6-1, 180, and Rusty Bronson, a tough, hard"nosed fullback weighing 210 pounds.

The defense had one of the biggest high school lines in New York, if not the country. Averaging 235 pounds per man, the hub of the line was middle-guard Steve Garlock, a 290-pound sophomore. The defensive secondary also had. size, speed and experience.

"The upcoming season will be one of many question marks," warns Dick Hoover when hearing of his team's high pre-season ranking, .a price many teams pay for building winning programs. "Our biggest concern will be finding down linemen both offensively and defensively."

The Golden Bears will be strong in the skill areas, with young men like Mark Pineiro, Guy Powell, Mark Dunnett and Steve Garlock returning. But the best letterman of all is Coach Hoover, not to mention the pr~ud winning tradition at Vestal High.

7. Evanston ILLINOIS When it comes to national powerhouses in high school football, Evanston Township High School in Illinois takes a backseat to no school. "Our school and young men have a long history of winning football, and I feel that this upcoming year will be just as fine as we have ever had at Evanston," says the man who should know, head coach Dick Mahoney. Last year his club finished second in the conference to Deerfield, the team that eventually won the state and mythical PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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national title. "We lost by two points and was the hardest game of the season," claims Mahoney. "We played a large number of juniors and they are looking forward to their final season at Evanston."

The Wildkits have a number of excellent players that will be going on to college stardom after this season, if everything goes according to plan. Big McKinley Nash (6-5, 250) should be an allstater and could develop into an AllAmerican. He's strong and quick (4.9 forty) for his size, and is a top-notch wrestling 'prospect. Fullback Donald Johnson (6-1, 210) ran the 40 in 4. 7 seconds as a junior and has the size and power to run over people. He improved his blocking tremendously at the season's end, ar:td should help Evanston's tailbacks turn the corners. . .

Quarterback Bryan DuCre (6- I, 185) missed four varsity games last year but finished the season with 16 TD passes and only one interception. He can throw a ball 70 yards and hit a receiver. Defensive back Ronald Coleman, the brains of the defense, was the quarterback when DuCre wash't in the lineup. A starter on the basketball team, Coleman could develop into an exceptional safety for head coach Dick Mahoney. Leonard Hall (6-0, 200) plays both guard and linebacker and is one of the strongest players in the conference.

"He has speed to pull and lead sweeps and fills a hole like a truck," says his coach.

Richard Bruce (6-1, 165) is the Wildkits' best receiver. "He knows what ·to do with the ball when he gets it," adds Mahoney.

"He has real good speed and uses it to get open. He helps balance our attack between running and passing." i~

8. Valdosta GEORGIA famous throughcotton, peaches another commodity into its old and southern end of the town of Valthe Georgia natives football legions at Wright Bazemore attention when his club was rated football team in program devoted "~''"'~-~·~and its team, which state title. They had :.lnlu>tJtl), scored 386 points

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OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

to their opponents' 33, and in the state title game (won 39-0) Bazemore played 42 boys. It gave Valdosta a win-streak of 36 straight and Bazemore a 23-year record of 207-26-3 on the way to 10 state championships a:nd nine unbeaten seasons.

But that was back in I 962. Since then the "Massillon of the South" has won five Georgia state championships and two additional national crowns. They were national co-champs with Coni! Gables, Florida in I 969 after being national runner-up to co-champions Coral Gables and Austin Reagan (Texas) in I 968. That year they out-scored their opponents 475 points to 3 I on the way to a perfect I 3-0 record. The coach has changed but the winning tradition lingers on, and this fall Valdosta promises to return to the national limelight they reached in I 97 I. In quarterback Buck Belue (6-2, I 85) and giant linebackers Keith Middleton (62, 215) and Lawrence Lowe (6-3, 220), Valdosta has the offensive and defensive tools to rate them "Best in the South." In Belue they have a young signal caller who could develop into one of their all-time best, and in Middleton and Lowe they have the makings of the best linebacking crop in

all of Georgia. As one famous politician once remarked, "Let's look at the record."

In the past 40 years of high school football in the state of Georgia, Valdosta proved it is a school to be reckoned with almost every year. This could again be their year.

9. Thomasville GEORGIA ... But not if Thomasville has anything to say (or do) .about it. Not many states the size of Georgia have two nation~ ally acclaimed programs like Valdosta and Thomasville. Football is king in . this southern state, and more schools than the famed Valdosta play the game. Last year the No. 2-ranked team in America was Georgia state champion Americus, which finished the 1975 campaign 14-0 to give them a four-year record of 40-2 against tough southern foes. Marietta in I 967 and continued

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I Atlanta Lakeside in 1970 and 1972 carted talent from last year and everyone in the off the gold when Valdosta failed to pro- NYL will be aiming for us," insists Clarke. duce, which brings us to the 1974 mythical "This is one of the best leagues in California and going undefeated is almost national champion, Thomasville.

Like Valdosta, the town of Thomas- unheard of. So is winning two years in a ville is back-of-the-team in every way, and row. We have some super athletes returnschools in Atlanta, Americus, Marietta ing and if we can fill in some holes we will and Thomasville try to outdo each other in be able to play with anyone." hospitality when the "big rivalry games" As always, the Tigers will be fast, are played. Coaches around the state pre- aggressive and ready to play. Edison High dicted that the new suburban and town- has graduated such top performers as ship high schools that were built would Charles Young (USC, Philadelphia bring to an end the present reign of the Eagles), Charles Anthony (USC, San football powers. No such luck; at least not Diego Chargers), Randy Williams yet. Like Valdosta, Thomasville returns a (Munich Olympics long jumper), James flock of talented players, including giant ¡Anderson (Washington, New York Jets) tackle Reginald Miller (6-4, 245) and line- and Gilbert Myles (University of Arizona backer Johnny Byrd (6-3, 225). Both are basketball). This season alone five Edison blue-chip performers who could lead their graduates have signed free agent contracts team back on the road to national acclaim. to play professional football. Not bad for a small, almost all-black high school in Fresno, playing in the NYL, one of the top leagues in all of California - if not the nation.

10. Fresno Edison

CALIFORNIA Last season was the year of the Tiger in Fresno's tough North Yosemite League.

The NYL's school enrollments are between 2,000 and 3,800 students, with the exception of the famed Edison Tigers, who boasted only 650 students in 1975. But as the old saying goes, "You only play with eleven men," and despite the numbers, or lack of them, the Tigers went all the way, winning 13 games and landing the Central Valley CIF championship.

Teams rarely win two years in a row in the NYL, but Edison has a good chance in '76. Returning on offense are 6-1, 195pound tailback Ed Conway, plus 5-11, 200pound fullback Steve Woods. Several college scouts have called them "the best pair of backs at one school in California."

At flanker the Tigers have 6-1, 190-pound sprinter Hank Haynes. Tight end Mike Asberry, tackle Tom Walker and guards Nate Martin and Randy Walker also return. The QB slot will be filled by either Johnny Ramey or junior Mitch Hollard, Both are capable, so the decision for head coach Bill Clarke will be a tough one. One player who will see lots of action is diminutive Jerry Lee, who returns punts, plays running back, flanker, slot back and free safety.

The defense will be led by Harvey Ashley, a 6-2, 220-pound tackle who scored five touchdowns last fall with recovered fumbles. The other tackle is Walter Frazier, who at 6-3, 285 is one of the biggest in the league. The middle linebacker is Larry Wallace, a hard-nosed tackler with great range. "We lost a lot of PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

11. Oak Ridge TENNESSEE Oak Ridge, Tennessee has never suffered a losing season in football since the school was formed in 1944. The Wildcats have captured the state championship four times and were voted mythical national schoolboy champs in 1958. Deep and rich in sports tradition, the basketball team has had only one losing season and has won the Tennessee state championship twice, while the Wildcats' track team has won seven state championships. The 1975 grid team was considered one of the finest ever assembled in Tennessee, and is possibly second only to the Tennessee High teams (Bristol) of the early 1970s.

Last fall the Wildcats captured the AAA crown on , Thanksgiving night in the Atomic City, demolishing favored Nashville Maplewood, 46-22. The win gave East Tennessee all three state grid championships: Class A Walland, Class AA Loudon, and the Wildcats in AAA. The Jefferson Junior High. Eagles, from which many of the leaders of the state AAA championship team came, won 25straight games over a five year period, and the juniors on the 1975 team never suffered a loss in junior high. Robertsville Junior High also feeds Oak Ridge and gave the 1975 Wildcats their quarterback, Dean Nichols, as well as senior captain and allstate linebacker Brian Campbell. Oak Ridge spotted Maplewood (a 14-point favorite) 7-0 and I4-7leads before roaring back for 21 points in the second period to

take a 28-14 lead at the half. The Wildcats pulled away for 18 more points in the second half to eight for stunned Maplewood, winning in convincing style.

Operating out of their famed veer attack with QB Nichols running the option as if he invented it, set a new Tennessee playoff rushing record with 428 yards against a defense which was rated as invincible. The total points scored by the two teams set a Tennessee playoff record as well. Nichols picked up 154 yards and junior running back Craig Freeman gained 109 yards. Oak Ridge scored on runs of 78, 32, 66 and 65 yards during the game.

Knoxville Central was the only team to defeat the Wildcats during the regular season, winning a 7-3 defensive battle on October 31 by using a seven-diamond defense to halt the powerful Oak Ridge veer.

With quarterback Nichols returning for his senior season, the 1976 campaign looks bright again for the Wildcats despite heavy graduation losses. The offense appears strong and explosive with linemen taking the place of the graduated players appearing bigger if not faster. ¡Also returning is all-state defensive back Dwayne Horton, the only Tennessee junior on the AP's first team all-state squad.

Craig Freeman is extremely quick at forty yards (4.5) and returns after an excellent junior year that saw him rush for I ,000 yards. Coach Emory Hale and his six-man staff could send as many as ten players on to college at various levels. Roger Wade, a 6-2, 190-pound defensive back who is also one of the top point guards in the state in basketball, appears to be a solid all-state choice.

A key game for Oak Ridge will be an early October clash with Kingsport Dobyns- Bennett, annually one of the best football teams in Tennessee. But like all teams who face the Tigers during this Bicentennial year, Dobyns-Bennett will have their hands full. Oak Ridge was formed by the federal government to build the atomic bomb which was eventually dropped on Japan in World War II. It is now a scientific leader with all plants working for the Energy Research and Development Administration in the fields of atomic energy and research. Not to mention exceptional high school football teams.

12. Flint Southwestern MICHIGAN It was a very good year for high school football in 1975. Big, quick linemen, catcontinued

13

KICKING STAR- Wheat Ridge, Colorado's Greg Pletz (82), the premier punter in the Rockies, was consistently over 40 yards, and with the competition his team faces a great kicker is a must. Wheat Ridge annually terrorizes Colorado AAA ranks, and 1976 could be another bountiful crop for the Farmers.

talented players returning, Southwestern Community High should again have a banner year.

13. Wheat Ridge

quick halfbacks, receivers faster than lightning and quarterbacks with arms of bazookas dotted All-America teams. The most dazzling team record of all- 72 wins in a row - was recorded by tiny Hudson, It could grow into a bountiful season Michigan. Unbeaten since the opening for the Wheat Ridge Farmers near Denver, game of 1968, the Tigers finally bit the Colorado. Coach Red Coats has won the dust in the finals of the Class C state play- AAA crown before, and this year his offs, and although schools like Dearborn mighty Farmers should be back in the race Divine Child and Livonia franklin ruled for the 1976 title; Having an all-junior ball the big school ranks in Michigan, little club in '75, backed up by a championship Hudson High, even in defeat, ruled the sophomore team, it could indeed be the sports pages throughout America. · "Year of the Farmers." Coats has the disLast year Birmingham Brother Rice tinguished privilege of being one of the hogged the pre-season limelight, but this winningest high school football coaches in time around it's Flint Southwestern, which the country. His lifetime record reads 199 finished 8-1 for the third straight year, wins, 58 losses, 9 ties, one NJCAA "We were rebuilding last year after losing championship and three Colorado AAA Rick Leach and Gene Johnson, who were championships. high school All-Americans in 1974," Seven talented Farmers who could claims one Southwestern official. Both become all-league andfor all-state include: . players were starters at the University of guard Rocky Tannehill (6-1, 205), tackle Michigan last fall. Although this Michigan Scott Hoisington (6-3, 210), linebacker powerhouse did not pass as often as usual; Stacy Coryell ( 6-0, 196), center Gary KarlBooker Moore, an all-stater as a junior, son (6-1, 190), quarterback Greg led· a fine rushing attack which landed the Dougherty (6-0, 185), halfback John Irick Flint city championship and a place in the (5-1 0, 175) and ace punter Greg Pletz.

Top 10 in the state (8th in one poll, 9th in "This punter of ours is the premier punter another). With Moore and several other in the state," insists Coats. "He was a 40-

COLORADO

14

plus as a junior, and with the competition we have in our league a great kicker is a must." Things are certainly looking up for the Farmers this season after coming off a rebuilding year.

14. Montgomery Davis ALABAMA In Jefferson Davis High School's eightyear existence in Montgomery, Alabama, the Volunteers have had three undefeated regular seasons, the most recent coming last fall. In ten games last year, Jeff Davis' veer offense put 323 points ·on the scoreboard to their opponents' 49. Charlie Trotman, senior QB signee with Auburn, led the team with 466 yards rushing, 778 yards passing and kicked two extra points and field goals. A consensus All-American in football, he also captained the basketball team and earned all-star honors in baseball. The team's top rusher was super-soph Thomas Brown (126 carries, 1,003 yards, 8.0 average per ~arry, 13 touchdowns in nine games), an all-city selection. Willie Huntley, senior signee with Alabama State, added 800 yards. Mike Livings, a junior all-stater and honorable mention All-South selected by the Orlando Sentinel Star, was Alabama's leading AAAA pass continued PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

and Kenny Cline are widely mentioned as . """"' college prospects at their end positions.

Offensive line returnees Jamey Watson, Monroe Neville Craig Shook and Bobby Marcus will also get a look from the college scouts. The Volunteer defense will be young and small

by AAAA standards and will get a stern test August 27 against crosstown rival Montgomery Carver. The Green and Gold Winning state championships is will also be tested the following two weeks nothing new a"t Neville High in Monroe, by powerful Mountain Brook and Dothan Louisiana. Since 1953, the Tigers have '.Jefferson Davis will have stiff opposi- - the two teams which met in the AAAA landed 20 state championship trophies: six tion In retaining its region title Jrom finals last year in Alabama's Legion Field. in bas~ball, three in golf, two in boys' Robert E. Lee of Montgomery and Head coach Billy Livings, the only coach ¡ basketball, two in girls' basketball, one Central High of Phenix City. ,Directing the Davis High has had in football, will begin each in tennis and track, and five in footveer will be senior Mike Rolfes with elu- his ninth year as the Volunteers' mentor ball. In 1975, Neville won the District sive Brown returning at tailback. Livings with an impressive 60-17-3 record.

Three championship in Louisiana's highest classification (AAAA), and entered the ELUSIVE- It takes more than one defender to.bring down Montgomery Davis receiver Mike state playoffs for the eighth consecutive Livings (44), shown here fighting free from Gadsdens' Lawrence Dudley (30) in 1975 dual. year, advancing to the semi-finals before

receiver with 61 catches for over 600 yards.

He was also an effective punt returner and two-year alkity choice at split end. An all.district guard in basketball, Livings was also his team's leading scorer and top free throw shooter. Alabama State signed allstate linebacker Richard Harris, while tackle Don Lawson and safety Stan Talley signed football grants with Livingston State University.

(Alabama Journal photo)

16

15.

LOUISIANA

falling to Covington 28-18 and finishing 13-1 on the season.

Coach Charlie Brown's 1915 squad was led by junior QB Bob Lane and rurinirig backs Barry Rubin, Phil Roark and Andy Roberts·on. Lane passed for over I ,000 yards on. a squad long .known and respected for its potent ground game. At the present time, seven members .from Brown's 1975. team signed scholarships at LSiJ, Louisiana tech, Nor~hwestern, Northeast Louisiana· University, Mississippi College and the University of Arkansas at Monticello.

"The major task facing the coaching staff at Neville will be replacing the three graduated running backs and the. entire offensive line," claims Brown, who won his IOOth game in October. "The major task

the opponents of the Tigers face will be While the offensive line .must be co:Ufinding a way to stop Bob Lane." The 6-2, . pletely rebuiit, spring practice indicated 190~pound signal caller is regarded as one names that bear· watching. iilchide Letson, of the country's top collegiate prospects, Sampognaro, Golson; l:.ingle, .1-iuff, having been selected to the Louisiana Marshall and Brown, to ilanie a: few~ No AAAA all-state team as a jUnior ...The matter . what,. the 1976 . edition o( lhe offense may be green, but the noted Tiger Neville Tigers will.be _relying an awful-lot. defense will be .led by returning defensive on tradi_tibn, · and like their. 1972 'preend Clift McCall (6-3, 215) ana outstand~ decessors, could go .all the_ way. . :. ing defensive secondary starters like Jay Rivers, Gordon Dunaway arid Lane, who is also a two-way standout. .Other defensive players who will be counted on are linebackers Randy Brown and John Baytown Lee .Peyton, tackles Doug Taylor and Matt Parker, and a transfer student irt Tommy Rogers. Joining Lane in the backfield will be Tom Spade, Steve· Dennis and Jay Rivers. Leading receivers appear to be David Breard, Jim Ellis and Billy.Hance.

Fans from Texa~, Ohio and California will never agree on which state is the best iri high school football, but all agre_e that their states,.year after year,-produce ·some of the greatest talent in the land. Coach Doug Ethridge, a former ge.neral at national powerhouse H_obbs; New Mexico, and head coa,ch of defending Texas AA.AA champion Port Neches-Groves, best sums tip No Man's Land In Texas. AAAA competition: "The coaching is better than it has ever been; and the physical· condition and potential of boys nowadays is at an all-time high.".

Such is the_ case· with grid mentor ROn Kramer .at Robert E. Lee High School in Baytown, Texas. The Ganders finished the 1975 season with a 9-l record; losing only to Baytown Sterling, the· district champi 0 n, by a score of 13-9. Lee, .annually noted for strong defenses, gave up 57 points in 10 games. They a~eraged 19 points a. game .and finished second in the district by half a game. Coach ~ramer returns 15 lettermen from that sound club, five which were starters on offense and four on defense. "We lost all but one gwirc;l fro~ our offensive line," he say~. '!We also lost Ql,lf ~ntire defensive secondary: Stitwe are wen·established in·the offensive. backfield as our quarterback, fullback arid tailback all return .. We are looking forward to 1976 and feel we have ~he p,otential to be . very sqund."

Quarterback Shane Boeker (5-ll, 180), end Alvin Ruben (6-4, . 2L5), t_ailback Charles Haggerty (6-0, 190), guard Paul Morgan· (6-1, · 215) and. tackle .Aristides Trifilio (6-0, f35) were all fii'st teain alldistrict ·performers as Juniors.· The Ganders sliic;id~ schedule includes the likes· of Spring Branch, Port Arthur, Forest Brook, MacArthur, .Baytown Sterling, Nor~h Shore, Smiley, Aldine, Klein arid Galena Park. So like any team which plans on making i~ to t!te Texas AAAA playoffs, their work is "cut out for them. continued

16.

TEXAS

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17. Phoenix Maryvale ARIZONA

18. Findlay OHIO

For the 1975 state runner-up Maryvale Panthers, the- season lasted 17 seconds loo long. Until that point, the proud Phoenix school was 12-0 on the season and leading in the finals of the Arizona AAA championship game, only to lose 23-22 to Tucson Amphitheater. This season coulj:l be the Panthers' year with seven offensive starters returning, led by first team allstate guard-linebacker Jack Housley (6-0, 210), who is also oilc;: of Arizona's best wrestlers. Other starters returning in the key "skill" positions include quarterback Larry Moreno (5-10, 162), running backs Dick Harkins (6-0, 175), Jay Rains (5-9; 180) and Brian -Cutting (6-1, 190), and ends Richard Hesler (6-4, 225), who might pe switched to center, and Randy Rupe (59, 160). These students accounted for 29 touchdowns, I ,491 yards rushing, 800 passing and 44 pass receptions during their junior year.

The Panthers' defense will require more rebuilding, but four starters return, including defensive end Marty Brott (5-11, 170) and two-way performers Housley, Cutting and Harkins. Defense has always been a Panther strong point, so tradition will play a big part here and that means trouble for the rest of the Phoenix loop.

The kicking game should be strong with place kicker Ken Davis back after averaging 50.6 yards on kickoffs and hitting 32 of 33 extra points. Punter Harkins averaged 36.9 yards per !;loot, hanging his kicks to give the Panthers excellent down field coverage. Help is also expected from a super 9-1 junior varsity.

Counting the varsity, JV, frosh heavyweight and frosh lightweight teams, Maryvale football fans watched 34 victories, six defeats and one tie in 1975. Good as it was, it just might be better in 1976.

If Cincinnatj Moeller falters during their drive to the Ohio state championship, you can bet schools like Findlay and Youngstown Mooney will be waiting in the wings. A 96-yard touchdown return with a pass interception by Cincinnati Moeller still hal!nts Findlay Head Coach B_ill Jones when thinking about his successful 1975 campaign in the Buckeye Conference. The Trojans finished I 0-0 during regular season play, but fell to the eventual state champs (28-16) in round No. I oftheOhio playoffs, ending Findlay's greatest season.

Scoring has never .been a wc;:akness for the Trojans, witnessed by a 93-0 win over Tiffin in ¡1916, an 86-0 triumph of Upper Sandusky in 1930, and a 81-0- win over

Tiffin Columbian in 1949. Last season the Trojans put it to Columbas Central (36-0), Dayton Fairview (25-0), Whitmer (24-6), Sandusky (24-6), Marion Harding (42-0), Lorain Senior (28-0), Mansfield Senior (28-0), Elyria (7 -0), Fremont Ross (22-13) and Lorain Admiral King (21-6) before bowing to Moeller. "After our 10-1 record last season we lost 15 of 22 starters," warns Bill Jones prior to pre-season practice. "However, we do return several top players from what was one of Findlay's greatest teams. Players who should make us contenders for the Buckeye Conference again." Back for the Trojans ~:;omes All-Ohio tailback Andy Schramm (6-2, 225), all-league tackle Alan LaForrest (6-1, 265), defensive tackle Tim Dillon (6-3, 225), fullback Steve Lamb (62, 190), safety Danny. Martinez and linebacker Dave Elderbrock. Ohio is a great schoolboy football state, and followers of the proud Buckeye Conference can usually count on Findlay paving the way. continued

LEFT Chicopee All-American Jim Bundess (49) drags defenders from crosstown rival Chicopee Comprehensive during toughest game of the year, won by Chicopee, 15-12. RIGHT- Coach Bill Jones of Findlay, Ohio and linebacker Dave Elderbrock (63) confer on sidelines during 42-0 demolishing of Marion Harding.

19 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

19. Chicopee MASS. Chicopee High School won ten straight games in 1975, capping the Western Massachusetts AA Conference crown for the second straight Y!!ar and topping the season by defeating St. John's of Worcester in the Central Western Massachusetts Bowl Game, 21-14. For Chicopee it was 20 victories in a row in regular season play, the only loss sustained in 1974 during a tie-breaker finish that was highly controversial. Last season Coach Bill Moge's squad scored 286 points to their opponents' 99. Led by quarterback Peter Mierzwa and big sophomore running back Jim Budness, the Pacers went over 2,500 yards on offense while limiting their opponents to less than 1,300. A crunching running game and a tenacious defense which bent at times but never broke could again be the key to Chicopee's success.

Budness should be the workhorse in the backfield after compiling I, 100 yards on II 0 carries, scoring 75 points on 12 touchdowns, running for two extra points and kicking another. Other prospects for the CRUNCH - Defense wins in the long run, and Phoenix (Arizona) Maryvale has been playing crunching defense for a long time.

coming season look good with possibly the biggest team in Chicopee's history.

With only eight lettermen back, there are quite a few question marks. The big shoes of all- Western Massachusetts performers Ray Benoit, Ed Cebula, Joe Gagnon and the quarterback who led them to 20 victories over two years, Pete Mierzwa, will be hard to fill. Nevertheless, hopes are high for the coming season with players like Budness (possibly being moved to quarterback), 205-pound fullback Dave Donahue and end Mark Budynkiewicz, Chicopee expects to be in the race for the conference crown once again.

Coach Bill Moge, in his 33rd year of coaching (26 at Chicopee) ran his record to 195 wins, 70 losses and 16 ties to pull within one victory of the Western Massachusetts record compiled by Carl "Ump" Nichols of Greenfield. With a fine group of freshmen coming up, the tradition of great football teams in Pacer Country seems to be in good hands.

20. Tampa Plant FLORIDA What James Bond kept Dr. No from accomplishing at Cape Kennedy in 1962, Jimmy Jordan and his Tallahassee Leon teammates almost pulled off 13 years later. Tallahassee loved those identified flying objects, what with three quarterbacks in a row surpassing 3,000 yards.

Wayne Folsom hit for 3,005 yards for Leon High's 1973 aerial circus; Wally Woodham amassed 3,511 for an undefeated ( 13-0) 1974 showcase, and Jimmy Jordan set national prep records by hitting 263 of 471 passes for 4,098 yards during a 12-2 season, ending in a 31-14 loss

to Hialeah-Miami Lakes in the Florida AAAA finals. Although Leon High head coach Gene Cox plans on more aerial fireworks during this Bicentennial Year, the pre-season pick in Florida appears to be Tampa Plant High, where the name of the game is stonewall defense.

Plant returns two of the biggest and best linemen in all of Florida in tackles Eldrick Johnson (6-4, 220) and Wally Hough (6-4, 245), so if the ground and overland troops match the quality of players in the trenches, Tampa Plant could move into the driver's seat recently shared

by Miami Lakes, Tallahassee Leon, Hollywood Hills, Merritt Island, Tampa Robinson, Miami Edison, Coral Gables, Melbourne and the grandest of all, Miami Senior.

Florida is a state rich with schoolboy sports history, and newcomers like Tampa Plant dream of days when old-timers will rank them alongside the likes of once mighty Miami Senior High. When Miami Senior landed the 1965 mythical high school title it was their 23rd state championship and their second national title since 1960. With the greatest passing team in the school's history, they won the playoffs with six shutouts and held eight teams to less than 97 total yards per game.

They finished 12-0 on the season and outfired the enemy 315 points to 51. But no sooner had Miami Senior become a national powerhouse when along came mighty Coral Gables to win three consecutive state championships and keep the Gator State on top of the world of high school football. Although Coral Gables shared the 1968 mythical national crown with Austin Reagan, Texas, and the 1969 title with Valdosta, Georgia, they stood all alone in 1967; finishing 13-0, recording nine shutouts and outscoring the opposition 410-26. Florida, like Texas, Ohio and California, is an outstanding high school football state - and 1976 could be better than ever. •

OTHERS TO WATCH Montgomery Lee, Alabama; Scottsdale Coronado, Arizona; Anaheim Servite, California; San Jose Santa Teresa, California; Los Angeles Banning, California; Colorado Springs Mitchell, Colorado; West Haven, Connecticut; Tallahassee Leon, Florida; Peoria Manual, Illinois; Chicago St. Rita, Illinois; Carmel, Indiana; Waterloo West, Iowa; Shawnee Mission North, Kansas; Louisville Xavier, Kentucky; Baton Rouge lstrouma, Lousiana; Riverdale Parkdale, Maryland; Brookline, Massachusetts; St. Paul Harding, Minnesota; St. Louis DeSmet, Missouri; Lincoln Southeast, Nebraska; Las Vegas Gorman, Nevada; Madison Borough, New Jersey; Franklin Township, New Jersey; Farmingdale Howell, New Jersey; Albuquerque Eldorado, New Mexico; Staten Island Farrell, New York; Youngstown Mooney, Ohio; Warren Western Reserve, Ohio; Tulsa Washington, Oklahoma; Beaverton Sunset, Oregon; Milwaukee, Oregon; Allentown Dieruff, Pennsylvania; Anderson Hanna, South Carolina; Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Tennessee; Chattanooga Baylor, Tennessee; Lufkin, Texas; Houston Kashmere, Texas; Odessa, Texas; Sherman, Texas; Annadale, Virginia; Martinsville, Virginia; Wenatchee, Washington; Tacoma Mt. Tahoma, Washington; Tacoma Wilson, Washington; South Charleston, West Virginia; Fond de Lac, Wisconsin; Honolulu Kamehameha, Hawaii; Portland Madison, Oregon.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

Pre-Season All-America Football Team

.

1-

·~' ,, •'

.

.

1

1

I

__ ,,_._,

., Art Judge

ALLsAMERICA

(Team #1)

Receivers Don Ainge ........... .

Fred Brockington .... .

Greg Rabas ......... .

John Mistier ......... .

6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-2,

185 205 210 185

... ... ... ....

North Eugene, Oregon ...................

Detroit Redford, Michigan ................

Kewaunee, Wisconsin ....................

Tucson Sahuaro, Arizona .................

senior senior senior senior

Interior John Odell .......... .

Tim Huffman ........ .

Nash McKinley ....... .

John Gardenshire .... .

Pat Gra~am ......... .

6-6, 6-4, 6-5, 6-4, 6-3,

255 245 260 250 240

... ... ... ... ...

Wellington, Kansas .......................

Dallas Huffman, Texas ...................

Evanston, Illinois .........................

Seattle Hale, Washington .................

San Jose Leland, California ...............

senior senior senior senior senior

·Center Johnny Parrish

6-3, 220.... Thomasville, Georgia .......... ··:· ......... senior

Quarterback Tim Koegel ... , ...... . 6-4, 195 ... Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio .... , ............. senior Chris Collinsworth .... . 6-3, 190 ... Titusville Astronaut, Florida ............•.. senior Rich Campbell ....... . 6-5, 205 ... San Jose Santa Teresa, California ........ senior Running Back Amos Lawrence ..... ·.

Booker Moore ....... .

Jeff Jones ........... .

Freeman McNeil ..... .

Robert Alexander .... .

Mike Riley .......... ..

Andy Schramm

5-1-1, 185 ... Lake Taylor, Virginia ....................

6-0, 185 ... Flint Southwestern, Michigan .............

5-11, 190 .. New Orleans· Rummel, Louisiana .........

5-11, 185 .. Los Angeles Banning, California .........

6-2, 185 ... South Charleston, West Virginia ...... ,. ...

6-4, 220 ... Miami Columbus, Florida .................

6-3, 215 ... Findlay, Ohio ............................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Down Benjie Pryor ......... .

AI Moton ............ .

Tony Elliot ...... _ .... .

Hosea Taylor ........ .

Benji Thibodeaux .... .

Art Akers ............ ·.

6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

6-4, 6-3, 6-3,

220 215 245 250 220 220

... ... ... ... ... ...

New Kensington Valley, Pennsylvania .....

Peoria· Manual, Illinois ....................

Bridgeport Harding, Connecticut ........ : .

Longview, Texas .... , ....................

Crowley Notre Dame, Louisiana ...........

Lynn Classical, Massachusetts ............

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Linebacker Tom Sunstrop ........ 6-3, Ronnie Greer ......... 6-3, Mike Sheridan ......... 6-3, Todd Bell ... .' ........ 6-2,

215 220 205 205

... ... ... ...

St. Louis DeSmet, Missouri .............. senior Ennis, Texas .............................. senior Rutherford St. Mary, New Jersey . . . . . . . . . senior Middletown, Ohio ................... : .... senior

Deep Bill Grisham ..........

Johnny Smith ........ : Mitchell Thomas ......

Mike Mosley ..........

Reggie West . : ........

22

AIAlUJnder (31) South West Virginia, and big (6-2, 220) Scryramm (46) of Findlay, Ohio.

6-3, 210 ...

6-3, 215 ...

6-4, 195 ...

6-1, 170 ...

5-11, 17~ ..

Huntsville High, Alabama ................. ldahel, Oklahoma ................ , .......

Aliquippa Hopewell, Pennsylvania .........

Humble, Texas ..........................

Santa Ana Valley, California .............

senior senior senior senior senior

ALL-AMERICA Receivers ...

Reynaldo Peru J.D. Wright ....... .

Ron Lot! ......... · Reggie Jordan .... .

Brian Muenster ....... .

6-6, 225 ...

5-11, 170 ..

6-3, 190 ...

6-4, 225 ...

6-2, 175 ...

Morenci, Arizona .........................

Monroe Carroll, Louisiana ...............

Rialto Eisenhower, California ...............

Norfolk West Beach, Virginia .............

Omaha Westside, Nebraska ..............

senior senior senior senior senior

Interior Dave Bradstreet Reginald Miller Frank Warren ........ .

Mark Orszula ...... ·... .

Vince Goldsmith

6-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3,

East Longmeadow, Massachusetts ........

Thomasville, Georgia .....................

Birmingham Phillips, Alabama ............

Lombard Glenbard East, Illinois ...........

Tacoma Mt. Tahoma, Washington .........

senior senior senior senior senior

Center David Reardon

6"3, 225 ... Houston Lee, Texas ........... ·........... senior

240 245 255 235 220

... ... ... ... ...

(Team #2)

Quarterback Tom Clifford ... : ....... 6-4, 200 ... Cincinnati Colerain, Ohio ................. senior Pete Holahan . ·...._. .... 6-3, 200· ... Liverpool, New York ..................... senior Mike Ford ......... ·." ... 6-3, 205 ... Mesquite, Texas ......................... senior

I ,,if

Running Back Edward Dubose ..... : ..

Billy Willard ...... : . .. .

Eric Nauls ............ .

Theodore Ealy ........ .

Felix Lee ...... , . ·..... .

Don Curtis ........... .

Vander Thomas ....... .

Holmes Johnson ...... .

5-11, 200 ..

6-3, 205 ...

6"{), 175 ...

5-1"1, 180 ..

6-1, 225 ...

6-0, 185 ...

6-3, 220 ...

5-11,.185 ..

Down Anderson Sanders Alvin· Ruben· ...........

Brant Thurston ........

Donnie Evans ..........

Curtis Boone ....... : ..

Tim Ward .............

6-7, 6-4, 6-5, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4,

Mobile Davidson, Alabama ..............

Bell Gardens, California ..................

Dayton Wayne, Ohio .....................

Vicksburg Forrest, Mississippi ...........

Highland Park, New Jersey ...............

Riverdale Parkdale, Maryland .............

Richmond County, North Carolina .........

Haines City, Florida .....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

230 ... Ooltewah, Tennessee ......................

225 ... Baytown Lee, Texas ......................

235 ... Arvada West, Colorado ...................

230 ... Franklin Simpson, Kentucky ·..............

245 ... Lawton MacArthur, Oklahoma ............

245 ... Conroe, Texas ...........................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

.

'

Linebacker John Critelli ...........

Steve Budinger ........

Doc Lu Luckie .........

Ed Balistreri ...........

6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-0,

... ... . ·.. ...

Easton, Pennsylvania .....................

Tucson Catalina, Arizona .................

Fort Pierce Central, Florida ...............

San Diego High, Cafifornia ...............

senior senior senior senior

Deep Tony Banks ...........

Angelo Pisano .........

Bill Hill ................

Melvin Weatherspoon ...

Dennis Smith ..........

6-0, 180 ...

6-1, 185 ...

5-1.1, 175 ..

6-1, 190 ...

6-3, 195 .•.

Kansas City Manual, Missouri .............

Kiski Area, Pennsylvania .................

Farmingdale Howell, New Jersey .........

Canton McKinley, Ohio ...................

Santa Monica, California .................

senior senior senior senior senior

205 205 220 210

Edward Dubose (20) of Mobile Davidson, Alabama, rushed for 1,204 yards and 11 TDs in 10 games. His high game was 250 yards..

23

ALL-AMERICA rream #3) Receivers Rod Roberson ........ .

Donald Henderson .... .

Reggie Harper ........ .

Marty Constantine

6-3.

6-3, 6-4, 6-0,

175 200 205 180

... ... ... ...

Elkhart Central, Indiana ..................

Dos Palos, California .....................

Hartsville, Tennessee .....................

Walsh Jesuit, Ohio .......................

senior senior senior senior

Interior Steve Hackman Chuck Allen . . . . . . . .. .

Paul Debolt ........... .

Wally Hough .......... .

Bruce Brown ......... .

6-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2,

240 235 245 245 230

... ... ... ... ...

Indianapolis Chatard, Indiana .............

Anderson Hannah, South Carolina ........

Omaha North, Nebraska ..................

Tampa Plant, ¡Florida .....................

Bakersfield High, California ...............

senior senior senior senior senior

Center Danny Spradlin

6-3, 215 ... Maryville, Tennessee ..................... senior

Quarterback Bob Lane ............ . 6-2, 200 ... Monroe Neville, Louisiana ................ senior Greg Brady ........... . 6-3, 190 ... Scottsdale Coronado, Arizona ............ senior Darrell Shepard 5-11, 170 .. Odessa, Texas .......................... senior

24

While T~d Blackwell (42) of New Providence, New Jersey (top) runs to paydirt, QB Richard Burg (11) of Alabama AAAA champ Mountain Brook starts to throw and Bob Becker (42) of East Islip, New York scores (right).

Running Back Major Ogilvie ..........

Kelly Ellis .............

Bob Becker ...........

Kip Carmen ...........

Steve Tate .............

Ted Blackwell .........

Joe Croft ..............

Charles Young .........

5-11, 185 ..

5-10, 170 ..

5-9, 180 ...

6-1, 195 ...

6-1, 175 ...

6-0, 195 ...

6-0, 190 ...

5-10, 175 ..

Mountain Brook, Alabama ...............

Waterloo West, Iowa ....................

East Islip, Long Island, New York .........

Lockport Central, lllionis ..................

Luther, Oklahoma ........................

New Providence, New Jersey .............

Youngstown Mooney, Ohio ...............

Temple, Texas ..........................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Down Rick Zabel .............

Harold Campbell .......

Dave Galloway .........

Jim Brown ............ lssiah Williams .........

Kip Jawish ............

6-3, 6-4, 6-4, 6-5, 6-2, 6-2,

215 225 225 255 235 220

... ... ... ... ... ...

Fond du Lac, Wisconsin ..................

Morris Hills, New Jersey ..................

Brandon, Florida .........................

Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio ..................

Berkeley, California ......................

Rockville Georgetown, Maryland ..........

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Linebacker Bob Slater .............

Lawrence Lowe ........

Rod Easley ............

Joe Keys ..............

6-2, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2,

205 220 235 215

... ... ... ...

Mendota St. Thomas, Minnesota ..........

Valdosta, Georgia ........................

Bell, California ...........................

Galena Park, Texas ......................

senior senior senior senior

Deep Marshall Simpson ......

Orlando Pope .........

Ray Crouse ............

David Dixon ...........

Jackie Hicks ...........

6-2, 185 ...

6-0, 180 ...

5-11, 175 ..

6-3, 200 ...

6-2, 185 ...

Flint Northern, Michigan ..................

East St. Louis Lincoln, Illinois .............

Alameda Encinal, California .............

Newport News Ferguson, Virginia .........

Riverview East Bay, Florida ...............

senior senior senior senior senior

ALL-AMERICA rream #4) Receivers Robby Aubry ........

Mike Livings .........

Mike Christ ..........

Eric Herring .........

Interior Ronald Holland Leonard Mitchell¡ .....

Mike Hancock .......

Dan Hurley ..........

Denny Harris ........

. . . .

6-1, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1,

175 170 190 185

... ... ... ...

Shreveport Southwood, Louisiana .........

Montgomery Davis, Alabama .............

Penn Hills, Pennsylvania ..................

Houston Yates, Texas ....................

senior senior senior senior

. . . .

6-5, 6-7, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3,

235 255 225 235 235

... ... ... .- .. ...

Covington, Tennessee ....................

Houston Washington, Texas ..............

Madisonvill~. Kentucky ...................

Omaha Roncalli, Nebraska ...............

Abilene, Texas ...........................

senior senior senior senior senior

Center Simeon Simmons

~ , ...

I

IIIII

6-2, 205 ... St. Louis Beaumont, Missouri .............. senior

Quarterback Bob Daniels ......... . 6-3, 186 ... Visalia Mt. Whitney, California ............. senior 6-5, 190 ... Carmel, !ndiana .......................... senior Mark Hermann 6-0, 180 ... Catasauqua, Pennsylvania ................ senior Barry Kennedy Running Back Alan Mitchell ........ .

Kevin McDonough ... .

George Rogers ...... .

Toussaint Tylor ...... .

Johnny Mack Dupree ..

Wayne Strader ....... .

David Overstreet ..... .

Jeff Williams ......... .

6-2, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 5-9, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3,

180 200 180 210 175 205 195 210

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Detroit Central Catholic, Michigan .........

Riverview Gardens, Missouri ..............

Duluth, Georgia ...........................

Oceanside, California ....................

Gaylesville, Alabama .....................

Genesee, Illinois .........................

Big Sandy, Texas ........................

Lakewood, Colorado .....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Down Mark Phelps ......... .

David Allen .......... .

Robert Hildrath ...... .

Paul Scire ........... .

Greg Gilbaugh ....... .

Brian Bragg ......... .

6-4, 6-3, 6-2.

6-6, 6-4, 6-5,

210 210 225 255 240 245

... ... ... ... ... ...

Corvallis Crescent Valley, Oregon .........

Harding, Ohio .... , ......................

Omaha Bensen, Nebraska ................

Farmingdale Howell, New Jersey ..........

Rockford East, Illinois .....................

Montgomery Lee, Alabama ...............

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Linebacker Bob Walton ...........

Johnny Byrd ..........

Carlos Bradley ........

Robert Beck ..........

6-1.

6-3, 6-1, 6-2,

210 225 215 220

... ... ... ...

Brighton, Massachusetts ..................

Thomasville, Georgia .....................

Germantown, Pennsylvania ...............

Plant City, Florida ........................

senior senior seriior senior

Deep Joe Mortis ............

Ron Pennick ..........

Jon Breidenthal .......

Cameron Mitchell .....

Dave Little ............

6-0, 195 ...

5-11, 175 ..

6-2, 195 ...

6-1, 180 ...

6-2, 215 ...

Rome Free Academy, New York ..........

Chicago Vocational, Illinois : .............

Los Gatos, California .....................

Richland, Washington ....................

Miami Jackson, Florida ...................

senior senior sen~or

sen1or senior

Mike Livings (44) of Montgomery Davis falls to the turf against West End.

25

ATLANTIC COAST Receivers Mark Piniero .......

Dave Youngelman ....

Wiliie Scott .........

Tony Steritore ......

Harold Livingston ....

6-1, 6-1, 6-2, 6-0, 6-0,

175 170 220 170 175

... ... ... ... ...

Vestal, New York ..........................

Parsippany, New Jersey ........... : ........

Newberry, South Carolina ..................

Uniontown Laurel Highlands, Pennsylvania ...

Columbia, South Carolina ..................

senior senior senior senior senior

Interior Sam Cleancy .......

Len Suzid ..........

Tom Little ..........

George Atjyeh ......

Dave Axtell .........

Marshall Riley ......

6-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2,

245 230 255 235 235 220

... ... ... ... ... ...

Pittsburgh 5th Avenue, Pennsylvania ........

Bristol St. Paul, Connecticut ................

Hampton Pembroke, Virginia ...............

Allentown Dieruff, Pennsylvania .............

Windsor, New York ........................

Swansea, South Carolina ...........

senior· senror senior senior senior senior

Center Bill Leary ........... 6-4, 225 ... Ketcham, New York ............... .

Quarterback Josh Weller ........ 6-2, Bob Anderson ...... 6-3, Craig Browning ...... 6-0, Gene Gladys ........ 6-1,

... ... ... ...

Madison Boro, New Jersey .................

Annandale, Virginia ........................

Fayetteville Ross, North Carolina ............

Monessen, Pennsylvania ....................

senior senior senior senior

flunning Bacli Tee Tee Sumner ..... 5-10, 175 ..

Ken Mandeville ..... 6-1, 215 ...

George Geishauser .. 6-1, 180 ...

Craig Linthicum ..... 5-11, 165 ..

Ted Keyes .......... 6-0, 185 ...

John Ahern ... : . . . . . 5-11, 180 ..

Jerome Williams .... 6-3, 190 ...

Cal Murray ......... 6-1, 175 ...

Mark McCants ...... 6-1, 195 ...

Steve McCue ....... 6-1, 190 ...

.Chesapeake Churchland, Virginia ..........

Matawan, New Jersey ......................

Altoona Guilfoyle, Pennsylvania .............

Cambridge, Maryland .............

West Haven, Connecticut ................... .Cicero, New York .........................

Garner, North Carolina .....................

Millville, New Jersey .......................

Allentown Dieruff, Pennsylvania .............

Woburn, Massachusetts ....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Kicker Henrik Mike-Mayer

195 190 180 185

. senior

5-9, 165 ... Glen Rock, New Jersey ..................... senior

Down Stan· Freeman ....... 6-5, Hubert Bond ....... 6-3, Chris Moore ......... 6-4; Greg Kuhlman ....... 6~4.

Don Carden ........ 6-:3, Greg Jones ......... 6-5, Lamont Anderson .... 5:2, Martin Manning ..... 6-3, Chris Rounds 6-1,

215 215 230 255 230 255 £15 220 210

... ... ... .. : ... ... ... ... ...

Boothwyn Chichester, Pennsylvania .........

Astiu,ry Park, New Jersey ...................

Garner, North Carolina .......... , ..........

Glascow, Delaware .........................

Langhorne Neshaminy,. Pennsylvania ........

Farmingdale Howell, New Jersey ............

Washington DC Woodson ..................

Pleasantville, New Jersey ...................

Wilmington, Massachusetts .................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Linebacker Bob McNally Bob Walton ........ .

Tom Hall .......... .

Brian Feely ........ .

Larry Kubin ....... .

Dave Donahue

6-1, 6-1, 6-4, 6-1, 6-1, 6-0,

205 215 215 205 20o' 205

... ... ... .:.

•.. ...

Westfield, New Jersey ......................

Brighton, Massachusetts ....................

Newport News Ferguson, Virginia ...........

Bethlehem Freedom, Pennsylvania ..........

Union, New Jersey .........................

Chicopee, Massachusetts ...................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Deep Darrell Gaddy John Verderame ... .

Coley Nee ......... .

Cris Crissy ........ .

Sidney Snell ....... .

5-11, 185 .. La Plata Maryland, Maryland ..............

6-1, 170 ... West Haven, Connecticut ...................

5-11, 180 .. .Walpole, Massachusetts ...................

6-1, 185 ... Penn Yan, New York .......................

6-1, 180 ... Blacksburg, Virginia ........................

senior senior senior senior senior

All the way ddwn the Atlantic Coast in Florida, where All-American QB Cris Collinsworth (21) and his Titusville Astronaut teammates wait the season to challenge tor the Florida crown.

Collinsworth can beat you in the air (top) or on the land (bottom).

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

THE SOUTH

\

..

Receivers Greg Everhart Stan Putnal ........ .

Marcu.s Quinn ....... .

Dean Craig .......... .

Mike Tate .......... .

6-l, 175 6~2. 185 6-3, 200 6-2, 190 6-2, 180

Interior Robert Whitefield Vincent Smith ....... .

Jeff Dungan .... .

Bruce Williams ...... .

Tyrone McDonald Edwin Bailey ......... .

6-4, 245 ...

6~6. 265 ...

6-5, 225 ...

6-6, 265 ...

6-2, 230 ...

6-2, 235 ...

Center Johnny Smith

6-4, 240 ... Nicholas County, Kentucky ............... senlor

Quarterback Bu<;k Belue ..... . !3ud Fesmire ..... .

Rick Buehner....... .

Curt Caldarera

6~2. 185 ...

6-0. 175 ...

5-11. 180 ..

6-0, 175 ...

Valdosta, Georgia ........................

Franklin Academy, TEmnessee ............

Louisville Xavier, Kentucky ..............

Lutcher, Louisiana .......................

junior senior senior senior

Running Back Robert Mathews James Berry ......... .

Herman Hunter ..... .

Terry Potter ......... .

Ray Jones ............ .

Bobby Johnson .. .

Ricky Knight ...... .

James .Anderson .

Freddie Thomas .

Thomas Brown ..

Gary Thomas

6-2, 215 , ..

5-11, 175 ..

6-3, 180 ...

6-2, 185 ...

5-11, 175 ..

5-11, 200 ..

5-11, 185 ..

6-2, 195 ...

5-9. 170 ..

5-10, 170 ..

5-10, 170 ..

Buckhorn •. Alabama· ......................

Choctawatchee, Florida .................

Columbus Hardaway, Georgia ............

Go.odiettesville, Tennessee ................

PascagQulaJ Mississippi .................

Anduiusia, Alabama ......................

Metairie West Jeff, Louisiana ............

College Park, Georgia ....................

Memphis Woodlawn, Tennessee ..........

Montgomery Davis, Alabama ............

Ashland Blazer, Kentucky ...............

junior junior senior senior senior senior senior senior junior junior senior

Kicker Rem Miller

5-11, 185 .. Mountain Brook, Alabama

Down Nat HUdson Eldrick Johnson .

Van Jones ....... .

Mark llpolitto .. .

Mike Moffit ..... .

Kyle Bruhl ...... .

Bobby Brooks . . . . ..

Jeff Field ....... .

Pete Boil ....... .

Gary Ferreri

6-5, 6-4, 6-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, 6-6, 6-2,

... ... ... ... ...

Tallahassee Leon, Florida ................ senior Macon· Central, Georgia .................. senior N!'lw Orleans St. Augustine, Louisiana ..... senior Knoxville Halls, Tennessee ................ senior Vestavia Hills, Alabama .................. senior Nashville Cohn, Tennessee .... , ..........

New Orleans Abramson, Louisiana ........

Somerset, Kentucky ......................

Mount Dora, Florida ......................

Memphis Hamilton, Tennessee ............

Savannah Tompkins, Georgia .............

senior senior senior senior senior senior

............... senior

235 220 225 225 235 235 265 230 265 216

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

West Rome, Georgia .....................

Tampa Plant, Florida ......................

Bradenton Southeast, Florida .............

New Orleans Brother Martin, Louisiana ....

Memphis Briarcrest, Tennessee ...........

Covington, Louisiana .....................

Knoxville Carter, Tennessee : . ............

Cordele Westover, Georgia ...............

Chattanooga Notre· Dame, Tennessee .....

Clinton, Mississippi ......................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Linebacker 6-2, 210 Calvin Jones 6-2, 215 Keith Middleton ....

6-1, 206 Stu Garrett Gauntt David McCarty ....... . 6-1, 205 Avon Riley ........... . 6-1, 200 6-2, 220 Arnie Robinson

... ... ... ... ... ...

Lafayette Comeaux, Louisiana ............

Valdosta, Georg!a .. : .....................

Jackson Calloway, Mi.ssissippi ............

Birmingham Berry, Alabama ..............

Savannah High, Georgia ..................

Venice, Florida ..........................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Phenix City, Alabama ..................

Carthage, Mississippi ...................

Baton Rouge Catholic, Louisiana .........

Munroe, Florida .......................

Shr,eveport Fair Park, Louisiana ..........

senior senior senior senior senior

beep

5-11, 185 ..

Billy Jackson 6-1, 180 ...

Ftank Beam en . . .

6-0, 170 ...

Terry Daffin . . . . .

Doug Glisson . . . . . .

5-10, 165 ..

Huey Sloan ............ 6-0, 175 ...

. . . . .

Jefferson Davis High of Montgomery, Alabama is loaded tor bear, and here's one of their main weapons, halfback Thomas Brown (25) fighting tor additional yardage in 1975.

27 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

MIDWEST Receivers Tim North ............

Don Kohntopp ........

Ken Mask ............

Mark Jelacic ..........

Doug McCaney Lindsey Latson

Arlington Heights, Illinois .................

Toledo Bowsher, Ohio ....................

Martinsville, Indiana ......................

Milwaukee Marquette, Wisconsin ..........

Belleville East, Illinois ....................

Akron Hoban, Ohio .................... : . .

senior senior senior senior senior junior

Interior Nick Brakus .......... . 6-4, 225 ... LaBrae, Ohio ............................

Pat Sullivan .......... . 6-3, 230 ... Chicago Marist, Illinois ...................

Alari Sypolt ........... . 6-3, 235 ... Mannington, West Virginia ................

Tim Vandermerkt ..

6-3, 230 ... Lombard Glenbard East, Illinois ...........

Pat Chase ......... .

6-1, 215 ... Detroit Osborn, Michigan .................

Bob Green ........ .

6-2, 220 ... Cincinnati Wyoming, Ohio ................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

. . . .

6-3, 6-2, 6-4, 6-5, 6-3, 6-2,

180 195 195 210 195 180

... ... ... ... ... ...

Center Bob McCool

6-2, 215 ... Kokomo Hayworth, Indiana ............... senior

QuartEirback Gordy Zastrow ........ .

Greg Corey ........... .

Chad Huck ........... .

John Walsh ........... .

6-1, 6-0, 6-1, 6-0;

... ... ... ...

Sheboygan South, wisconsin .............

Granite City North, Illinois ................

Indianapolis Roncalli, Indiana .............

Akron St. Vincent, Ohio ..................

senior senior senior senior

Running Back Wayne Robinson Ralph Smith .......... .

Doug West ........... .

John Paitl ............ .

Marty Kligis .......... .

Scott Alexander ....... .

Greg Jones ........... .

Roy Thomas .......... .

Tom Kingsbury ....... .

Larry Barnes ......... .

Phil Chelsea ...... .

Rick Neidermeyer ..

Mark Wing ....... .

Rick Thayer

6-1, 185 ...

5-11, 180 ..

5-11, 175 ..

6-0, 190 ...

6-2, 195 ...

5-10, 175 ..

5-9, 170 ...

5-8, 185 ...

5-11, 185 ..

5-10, 180 ..

5-10, 175 ..

5-8. 180 ...

6-2, 190 ...

6-1, 205 ...

Detroit MacKenzie, Michigan ..............

Freeport, Illinois ........................

Wintersville, Ohio .......................

Ashland, Wisconsin ......................

Villa Park Willowbrook, Illinois ............

Midland Dciw, Michigan .................

Elyria West, Ohio .........................

East Chicago Roosevelt, Indiana ..........

Chicago St. Rita, Illinois .................

Grand Rapids Union, Michigan ..........

Nile McKinley, Ohio .....................

Green Bay _preble, Wisconsin . , ...........

Dearborn Divine Child, Michigan ..........

Joliet Catholic, Illinois ....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior seriior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Kicker Ken Naber

6-3, 170 ... Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio .................. senior

Down Anthony Green John Mauro ...........

Larry Banks ...........

Ernie Stone ............

Mark Nelan ............

Kevin Donelly ..........

John Welday ..........

Steve Wilhelms ........

Tim Norman ...........

Carlos Mahaffey . . . . .

Adam Roxborough

6-3, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3, 6-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1,

215 210 215 210 205 235 270 220 255 220 215

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

East St. Louis, Illinois·..................... senior Marion Mishawaka, Indiana ............... senior Superior Central, Wisconsin .............. senior Akron St. Vincent, Ohio ........ : ......... senior East Peoria, Illinois .............. : ........ senior Kearsley, Michigan ....................... senior Toronto, Ohio .............................. senior Fond du Lac, Wisconsin .................. senior West Chicago, Illinois .................... senior Mt. Healthy, Ohio ........................ senior Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio .................... senior

Linebacker Tim Campbell ........ .

Roosevelt Barnes ... ,· .

Anthony Megaro ...... .

Dennis Landosky ..... .

Bob Crable ........... .

Kirk Sonnenberg

6-0, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1,

205 210 225 195 205 190

... ... ... ... ... ...

Meadowdale, O.hio .......................

Fort Wayne, Indiana .......................

Chicago Mt.·carmel, Illinois ..............

Bay City Western, Michigan ..............

Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio ..................

Belleville West, Illinois ....................

senior senior senior senior junior senior

Deep Donnie Barr ...........

Scott Radinger .........

Harvey Klough .........

Ben Orcutt ............

Doug Banda ...........

Greg Wilson ...........

5-11, 180 ..

5-11, 165 ..

5-9, 190 ...

6-0, 170 ...

6-1, 185 ...

6-3, 175 ...

Toledo Start, Ohio ......................

Marshfield Columbus, Wisconsin .........

Detroit Osborn, Michigan .................

Buffalo Grove, Illinois ....................

New Cumberland Oak Glen, West Virginia .

Westview Kankakee, Illinois ...............

senior junior senior senior senior senior

185 170 180 185

IPREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

MIDLANDS Receivers David Verser ........

Gary Hager ..........

Dan Hagen ..........

James Cowins .......

Bill Roper ...........

Howard Morris .......

6-2, 195 ...

6-1, 170 ...

6-4, 190 ...

6-2, 205 ...

6-3, 205 ...

5-11, 180 . :

Kansas City Sumner, Kansas ...............

Lincoln Southeast, Nebraska ................

St. Cloud Cathedral, Minnesota .............

St. Louis Sumner, Missouri .................

Brentwood, Missouri .......................

Crooked Oak. Oklahoma ..................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Interior David Davis Dan McCain Frank Moore Steve Small Dave Porter John Patton

6-4, 6-4, 6-5, 6-5, 6-3, 6-3,

Kirkwood, Missouri .........................

Omaha South, Nebraska ...................

Oklahoma City Millwood, Oklahoma .........

Putnam City, Oklahoma ....................

Columbus, Nebraska .......................

Casper Natrona, Wyoming ..................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

......... ......... ........ ......... ......... .........

245 255 240 230 220 225

... ... ... ... ... ...

Center Jack Lundie ......... 6-2, 210 ... Custer, South Dakota

...................... senior

Quarterback Jay Jimerson ........

Greg Dougherty ......

Kelly Ellison .........

Mike Mauer .........

5-10, 175 ..

6-0, 185 ...

5-11, 170 ..

6-1, 185 ...

Norman, Oklahoma .......................

Wheat Ridge, Colorado .....................

St. Louis Beaumont, Missouri ..............

St. Paul Harding, Minnesota ................

senior senior senior senior

Running Back Jerry Scott ..........

John Seabrooks .....

Tony Caldwell .......

Gene Roebuck .......

Dan Dummermuth ...

Tim Conway .........

Phil Frye ............

Keno Laney .........

Donavan Bass .......

Dave Patlan .........

Terry Suellentrop ....

5-9, 180 ...

6-2. 200 ...

6-3. 205 ...

6-1, 195 ...

6-2, 190 ...

5-11, 180 ..

5-11, 175 ..

5-9, 165 ...

5-9, 175 ...

5-9, 175 ...

6-1, 185 ...

Colorado Springs Mitchell, Colorado ........

West Des Moines Dowling, Iowa ............

Great Falls Russell, Montana ...............

Bristow, Oklahoma .........................

Sioux Falls washington, South Dakota ......

Ralston, Nebraska ........................

Rochester John Marshall, Minnesota .......

La Due. Missouri ...........................

Waterloo Central, Iowa .....................

Omaha South, Nebraska ...................

Midwest City, Oklahoma ....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior junior

Kicker Don Berger .. , ....... 5-10, 170 .. St. Louis University, Missouri

.............. senior

Down Scott Hoisington .....

Jim Favrow ..........

Mark Dunbar ........

John Liufau .........

Mark Christopherson ..

Matt Petrezelka ......

John Fisher .........

Mike Jordan .........

6-3, 6-2, 6-4, 6-4, 6-2, 6-6, 6-3, 6-0,

Linebacker Jim Anderson .......

Ken Oleson ..........

Dave Dutton .........

Don Campion ........

Bob Ring ............

John Connors ..

6-2, 210 ...

6-3, 200 ...

5-11, 205 ..

6-1. 200 ...

6-0, 190 ...

6-3, 205 ...

Faribault, Minnesota .......................

Del City, Oklahoma ........................

Spearfish. South Dakota ..................

Chatfield, Minnesota .......................

Omaha Northwest. Nebraska ...............

Tuttle, Oklahoma ..........................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Deep Jim Frazier ..........

Bill Whitaker .........

Mike Guhon .........

Dale Evans ..........

Craig Bohl ...........

5-11, 175 ..

6-1, 185 ...

6-5, 190 ...

6-4, 185 ...

5-11, 185 ..

Waterloo West, Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Kansas City Rock hurst, Missouri ............

Great Falls, Montana .......................

Albany, Minnesota .........................

Lincoln East, Nebraska ....................

senior senior senior senior senior

215 220 215 240 210 225 225 235

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Wheat Ridge, Colorado ..................... senior Manhattan, Kansas ......................... senior Lake City, Minnesota ....................... senior Haxtun, Colorado .......................... senior Albert Lea, Minnesota ...................... senior Cedar Rapids Regis, Iowa .................. senior Union, Missouri ............................ senior Colorado Springs Mitchell. Colorado ........ â&#x20AC;˘senior Oklahoma is loaded with running backs this tall, and here's one scatback who leads the pack, All-American Steve Tate from Luther.

29 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

SOUTHWEST Receivers Ephriam Maxwell Eric Jones ........... .

Eddie Grimes ........ .

Javier Holguin . . . . . ..

Glen Box ............ .

5-11, 160 ..

6-3, 200 ...

6-4, 210 ...

5-10, 170 ..

6-4, 200 ...

Interior Gerry Cole ........... 6-6, Darrell McAlister ...... 6-4, John Meyer .......... 6-5, Bobby Richardson ..... 6-5, Mark Venable .6-2, Craig Strauss .......... 6-3, Center Ronald Dupree

... ... ... ... ... ...

senior senior senior senior senior

Pasadena Dobie, Texas ................. .

Amarillo Palo Duro, Texas ............... .

Phoenix Alhambra, Arizona .............. .

Pittsburgh, Texas ....................... .

Hobbs, New Mexico ..................... .

Waco High, Texas ...................... .

senior senior senior senior senior senior

.6-5, 280 ... Houston Washington, Texas

Quarterback Tony Cortez Rose ..... 6-0, Rhett Darnell .......... 6-0, Bill Koskovich ......... 6-1, Terrance Grant ........ 6-2,

30

240 220 225 245 225 225

Bradley, Arkansas ..................... .

Texarkanna, Texas ...................... .

Burleson, Texas ........................ .

Las Cruces Mayfield, New Mexico Dallas White, Texas ..................... .

185 185 180 185

senior

.. ... ... ...

Douglas, Arizona .......................

DeKalb, Texas ...........................

Albuquerque Eldorado, New Mexico ......

Houston Kashmere, Texas ................

senior senior senior senior

Running Back Tim Spoonomore ...... 6-0, 175 ...

Mark Scott ............ 5-11, 185 ..

Mike Fisher ............ 6-0, 170 ...

Paul Zaragoza ........ 5-11, 170 ..

Forrest Valora ........ 6-1, 215 ...

Clyde Lee ............ 6-0, 185 ...

Carl Webb ........... 6-2, 200 ...

Phillip Jessie ......... 5-10, 185 ..

Brooks Honaker ...... 5-11, 190 ..

Chester Strickland .... 6-1, 205 ...

Charles Haggerty 6-0, 195 ...

Brazoswood, Texas ......................

Conway, Arkansas ......................

Gatesville, Texas .........................

South Grand Prairie, Texas ..............

Phoenix Jrevor Browne, Arizona ...........

Midland Lee, Texas ......................

Paris, Arkansas ..........................

Wilmer-Hutchins, Texas .................

Tempe Marcus de Niza, Arizona .........

Pittsburgh, Texas ........................

Baytown Lee, Texas ......................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Kicker Jeff Townsend

6-0, 165 ... Fort Worth Tech, Texas .................. senior

Down Arlis James ...........

Kelly McDonald .......

Bud Conway ..........

Billy Don Jackson .....

Steve Sampson .......

Freddie Davis .........

Sisto Rosales .........

Henry Hill ............

Daniel lssa ...........

6-3, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-2,

220 205 230 230 235 270 220 220 235

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Houston Scarborough, Texas .............

Houston St. Thomas, Texas ..............

Baytown Sterling, Texas ..................

Sherman, Texas .........................

Lewisville, Texas .........................

Lufkin, Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Chandler, Arizona ........................

Tyler John Tyler, Texas ..................

Aldine, Texas ............................

senior senior senior senior senior junior senior senior senior

Linebacker Steve Budinger .......

Jim Wasoba ..........

Jack Housley .........

Mike Richardson ......

Hans Biscof ..........

Erwin Greer ..........

Joel Rhyne ...........

6-2, 6-2, 6-0, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1,

205 215 210 215 210 205 220

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Tucson Catalina, Arizona .................

San Angelo, Texas .......................

Phoenix Maryvale, Arizona ...............

Oregon City, Texas ......................

Las Cruces, New Mexico .................

Fort Worth Wyatt, Texas ..................

Corpus Christi Tulosa-Midway, Texas

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Deep Bentley ~urgess Chris Dixon ...........

Tim Orr ..............

Ricky Thomas ........

Felix Kelson ..........

6-2, 205 ...

5-10, 165 ..

6-4, 200 ...

5-10, 170 ..

6-0, 170 ...

Houston Lee, Texas ......................

Clovis, New Mexico .....................

Abilene Cooper, Texas ...................

Beaumont South Park, Texas ............

Phoenix South Mountain, Arizona .........

senior senior senior senior senior

Biggest tight end (6-6, 225) on the All-America list is Morenci, Arizona's Reynaldo Peru (top), shown getting victory hug from teammates after gamewinning catch,, while Tucson Sahuaro wide receiver John Mistler (bottom) led nation in catches in 1975 with 81 grabs for 1,222 yards and 14 TDs. (Arizona Daily Star photo)

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

FAR WEST Receivers Carmac Carney ..

Russ Hofeli ......

Chris Elias ......

Scott Westering ..

Scot Tiesling ....

Jeff Keller .......

6-0, 175 ...

6-6, 195 ...

6-3, 210 ...

6-3, 205 ...

6-4, 205 ...

5-11, 175 ..

Long Beach St. Anthony, California .......

Boulder City, Nevada .....................

Anaheim Servile, California ...............

Tacoma Washington, Washington .........

Beaverton Sunset, Oregon ................

Baldwin Park, California .................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

Interior Randy Van Divier Tim McCarthy ...

Mike Huff .......

Brian Bailey .....

Mike Profit ......

Ron Seawell .....

Mike Reilly ......

6-4, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2,

Anaheim, California ......................

Reno Manogue, Nevada ..................

Concord College Park, California .........

Rancho Cordova, California ...............

San Jose Santa Teresa, California ........

Milwaukie, Oregon .......................

Federal Way, Washington ................

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

240 245 225 230 225 205 215

... ... ... ... ... ... ...

Center Mike Stanley .... 6-3, 215 ... Reedley, California ....................... senior Quarterback Ron Cuccia ......

Greg Buckiewicz .

Eric Scoggins ....

Bryan Hinkle ....

Jumbo Harris ....

5-10, 170 ..

5-11, 175 ..

6-3, 190 ...

6-2, 190 ...

5-11, 170 ..

Los Angeles Wilson, California ...........

Forest Grove, Oregon ...................

Inglewood, California .....................

Silverdale Central Kitsap, Washington .....

San Diego Kearny, California ............

junior senior senior senior senior

Running Back Edwin Conway ...

Don Bebout .....

Craig Colvard ....

Scott Dickinson ..

Charles Perkins ..

Eddie Ford ......

Jon Knudsen ....

Robbie Chapman Mike Davis ......

Steve Kessie ....

Gary Beck .......

6-2, 195 ...

5-10, 175 ..

6-0, 180 ...

5-11, 175 ..

5-10, 185 ..

6-0, 205 ...

5-11, 175 ..

6-2, 200 ...

6-2, 195 ...

6-2, 205 ...

5-11, 190 ..

Fresno Edison, California .......... ¡.......

Sweet Home, Oregon ...................

Stockton Lincoln, California ...............

Spokane West Valley, Washington .......

San Mateo, California ...................

San Diego Morse, California ..............

Beaverton Sunset, Oregon ...............

South Pasadena, California ...............

San Bernardino, California ................

Pasco Kamlakin, Washington .............

La Crescenta Valley, California ..........

senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior senior

Kicker Curt Yarrington

5-10, 165 .. Los Angeles Verdugo Hills, California

Down Danny Stewart ...

Brent Williams ...

Kevin Messinger .

Vincent Teora ...

Todd Anderson ..

John Tautola ....

Dan Dale ........

Harvey Ashley ...

Kevin Grillo ......

Casey Kunitomo .

6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2,

205 210 240 245 225 235 215 235 210 235

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

La Habra, California ......................

Silverdale Central Kitsap, Washington .....

Sacramento Highlands, California .........

San Pedro, California ....................

Spokane Gonzaga, Washington ...........

Long Beach Millikan, California ...........

McMinnville, Oregon .....................

Fresno Edison, California .................

Beaverton, Oregon .......................

Honolulu Kamehameha, Hawaii ...........

senior senior senior senior senior senior junior senior senior senior

Linebacker Bob Woolway ....

Mark Gronvold ..

Richard Umphrey Doug Folannd ...

Mike Kenlan ....

Deron Galindo ...

6-3, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1,

205 205 225 205 210 205

... ... ... ... ... ...

Los Angeles Loyola, California ............

Portland Cleveland, Oregon ..............

Tustin, California .........................

Wenatchee, Washington ..................

Anaheim Servite, California ...............

Escondino, California .....................

senior senior senior junior senior senior

Deep Ron Austin ......

Craig Asplund ...

Keoni Jardine ...

Jeff Keller .......

Jon Brosterhaus .

Randy Laird .....

5-10, 170 ..

5-11, 170 ..

6-1, 185 ...

5-11, 170 ..

6-2, 185 ...

6-0, 175 ...

.Vallejo, California .......................

Tacoma MI. Tahoma, Washington Honolulu Kamehameha, Hawaii ...........

Baldwin Park, California .................

Klamath Falls, Oregon ....................

Coeur d'Alene, Idaho .....................

senior senior senior senior senior senior

.... senior

Under pressure, All-America QB Rich Campbell of San Jose Santa Teresa performs best, and unloads TO strike against tough California foe.

31 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

Wrestling

By Ray Birmingham

The Mayfield Mangler Carlsbad High, which performs under a $100,000 annual athletic budget, hogged the limelight in New Mexico wrestling last winter, but the top individual to watch in 1976-77 should again be Don Bales of Las Cruces Mayfield.

The defending AAAA ch_amp in his weight

class returns this season with a 32-0 record, 23 falls, and a school record nine-second pin. If he improves at his present rate, the Mayfield senior could be the top prospects in the Great Southwest. (Las Cruces SunNews photo)

32

THERE HAVE BEEN only three, threetime state wrestling champions in the history of New Mexico prep wrestling, and Don Bales of Las Cruces Mayfield High plans on being the fourth.

If you are a New Mexico prep wrestler in the 155-pound class, you lay awake at nights fearing Don Bales. Bales isn't part gorilla, but if you had asked one of his victims during his perfect 32-0 season, they might have claimed to have seen him eating bananas before a match.

Bales, who is a junior at Las Cruces Mayfield High School and carries .the nickname of the "Mayfield Mangler", owns more wrestling honors than Gorgeous George. In his two-year career at MHS, the Trojan star has set the school pin record with 23, running up a career record of 55-6 enroute to capturing two class AAAA state championships.

"I've broken most of the records at Mayfield," Bales boasted. "But am looking forward to breaking a lot more."

Though the last two years have seemed suddenly successful for Bales, the !55pounder's experience dates back from his junior high days at Taos, New Mexico. As an eighth grader he wrestled for the Taos varsity in class AAA and took fourth place in the district tournament. In the ninth grade he moved to Las Cruces where he took the city junior high championship at the 167-pound class.

But during his sophomore year at Mayfield, Bales fell into a slump. "I lost six matches my sophomore year," admitted Bales. "That year David Tiner from Roswell Goddard beat me the hardest I've ever been beaten, 19-2. I knew he beat me bad, but Coach Von Wolff worked with me. I came back and beat Tiner in the state championship that year, 12-4."

With pin victories running out his ears, Bales' most memorable pin was a ninesecond matting of an Alamogordo, New Mexico wrestler. "The match was in Alamogordo. I went out there on the mat and the audience really gave me the razz. I got real psyched up over it and slapped a fireman's carry on my opponent. He went down faster than I thought he would. After that the audience was very quiet."

Many people think a boy with these qualifications should be showing up on the gridiron. "I used to play football, but my

coach told me it was¡ better to be a master of one sport than just good or average at several sports," said Bales.

What's next for the wrestler who holds almost every record there is to hold in high school wrestling? "I want another state championship," Bales will tell you. "There have only been three guys who were threetime state wrestling champs in my state, and I want to be the fourth."

Although Bales' potential future looks good, a few question marks have been raised on the subject of this year's eligibility. The problem is his 19th birthday. Will it keep him from competition in his senior year? "I will be eligible next year," he said about the New Mexico high school.rule that athletes turning 19 years of age before the second semester of their final year are ineligible. "I am 19. Had I been born a month earlier, I wouldn't be eligible, but I was born on February II. I will be eligible.

My big goal is naturally to reach the Olympics some day. Right now I am shooting for the Junior Olympics."

Meanwhile, Bales will be savoring his class AAAA state championship win over Albuquerque Eldorado's Sandy Jackson in the finals, 8-2. "It is a great privilege for nie to accomplish something like this," Bales said. "Jackson was my only threat and I worked hard to prepare for him. He gave me my toughest matches this year.

He only lost three matches and they were all to me. He'll be tough again next year, but I am thinking of going to 167-pounds."

"This boy is the best around," Bales' coach Lloyd Von Wolff says about his star wrestler. "He is a real competitor." ¡ When Bales isn't wrestling, he is usually training in preparation for the next season. "When I am not wrestling, I am lifting weights," says the stocky youngster who works out with 220 pounds. "I would much rather do that than play football."

When graduation time rolls around, a college education will no doubt be on his mind. "Several schools have been keeping in contact with me and I am going to a wrestling camp in Arizona this summer."

But before an NCAA school gets a hold on the "Mayfield Mangler", the Trojan from Las Cruces still has one more glorious year in high school wrestling, "with more records to break." He will be worth watching. e PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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Welcome, Young Athletes of America ... to the premier issue of JOE NAMATH'S NATIONAL PREP SPORTS magazine.

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Cross Counfry

By Marc Bloom

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1976 Crop: Prime Stock ~' For College Recruiters

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PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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Teams from coast to coast are becoming increasingly cognizant of the benefits of cross country, either as a season unto itself or as preparation for subsequent goals.

CROSS COUNTRY IS THE ultimate running test for the high school athlete. It is long enough to drain his stamina, yet short enough to demand his speed. It is contested on land that is sometimes brutal in its incline and elevation and hazardous in its footing. It can force two hundred harriers to converge onto a narrow trail through which shoulders will jar and knees will knock.

If the course doesn't get to him, the weather will. The late-summer heat and late-fall freeze are not too unsettling, however; you become accustomed to the extremes of your region. But when it rains, it pours. The adversities are magnified, and the race becomes a primitive exercise pitting the trained athlete against the irreverent elements.

Lacking the sterile refinements of track racing, the autumn campaign hurts a little bit more. The runner's body -¡even one that did not fall victim to the lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer - is heavily plied by new applications of stress.

Athletes who meet these challenges successfully usually turn out to be the leading distance runners during the winter and spring seasons as well. Their bodies ripe and their spirits eager, the cross country champions go on to sharpen their skills with speedwork and thus lower their figures on the ¡Stopwatch.

High school runners and their coaches know this. Teams from coast to coast are becoming increasingly cognizant of the benefits of cross country, either as a season unto itself or as preparation for subsequent goals. Incidentally, in cross country more than in track, an athlete with continued

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DEFENDING CHAMP -John Murphy of Portsmouth Abbey High School in Warren. Rhode Island, hopes to duplicate his 1975 season where he ran unbeaten with state, New England and National Junior Olympic victories. (Harrier photo)

33

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34

moderate talent can still derive a high level of fulfillment because of the way meets and programs are established.

But back to the champions. Last fall Eric Hulst (Laguna Beach), Thorn Hunt (Patrick Henry, San Diego) and Don Moses (Crescenta Valley) were the best harriers in California. Alberto Salazar (Wayland, Mass.) was tops in the East.

Marty Froelick (Scarborough, Houston) led the Southwest.

Months later, in late February, they combined to win the International Junior ( 19 years and under) cross country title in Chepstow, Wales. Hulst and Hunt placed one-two on the eight-kilometer (4.84 miles) course, designed European-style with steeplechase barriers. Salazar was fifth, Moses eighth and Froelick eleventh in the field of almost 100 runners from IS different nations.

Missing from that group was Rudy Chapa (Hammond, Ind.), who passed up the qualifying trials after an unbeaten cross country campaign that included the Indiana state title. But Chapa, now at Oregon (along with Salazar), was the prize of the spring, shattering the prep 10,000meter mark he shared with Hulst. His time of 28:32.8 qualified him to participate in the U.S. Olympic Trials for the Monteal Games.

This year's cross country season has already unfolded in some areas, where school opens in mid-August. Competition will have begun in every state no later than the end of September. The campaign generally lasts from six to twelve weeks with the final event being the state championship meet. (California and Mississippi are the only states not to have state championship meets.)

Every state will have potential collegiate champions, even future Olympic candidates. Listed below is National Prep Sports' 1976 Pre-Season Cross Country All-American Team. They are based on achievements during the '75 cross country season and on ensuing efforts during the winter and spring track campaigns.

Alphabetically, they are ...

Frank Assuina, Eisenhower HS, Rialto, Cal. (Junior). Frank and twin brother Chuck have been breaking agegroup records since they were tots. At age nine, for example, Frank logged an American record of 38:43 for I0,000meters, not much over a six-minute-mile pace. At last fall's National AAU "Boys" championship, Frank won the 14-15 title.

Actually, he was second by 35 yards but the winner was disqualified.

Terry Bauer, Bloom Township HS, Chicago Heights, Ill. (Senior). Bauer led Bloom to an upset victory over favored York (Elmhurst) in the Illinois state crosscountry meet. He placed eleventh in a talented field. Bauer maintained his

sharpness indoors with a 9: 11.6 two-mile performance.

Joe Belyea, South Portland HS, South Portland, Me. (Senior). Belyea set course records while winning his section and state X-C titles. He was runner-up in the New England championships to an equally talented runner.

Russ Bowles, St. Christopher's HS, Richl')1ond, Va. (Senior). Russ won the prestigious Georgetown U. Invitational by 23 seconds and was the state private schools runnerup. He capped his X-C season with a third-place in the AA U Boys 16-17 division. Indoors he ranked nationally with a 4:15.9 mile.

Kevin Byrne, Paramus Catholic HS, Paramus, N.J. (Senior). Byrne was unbeaten in Jersey X-C activity, including the state title in course-record time over three miles. He posted several invitation mile victories during the winter.

Mark Charkey, Central HS, Cheyenne, Wyo. (Junior). Mark continues the tradition of Central's perennial champs. He won or placed second in almost every invitational last fall and took fifth in the state title meet.

Mike Cotton, New Canaan HS, New Canaan, Ct. (Senior). Cotton won his class a路nd state X-C titles, then placed fifth in the National Junior Olympics in Houston.

Cotton also has acquired a reputation in the Northeast for his路 road-running success at distances in excess of six miles.

Jim Eubank, Clark HS, Las Vegas, Nev. (Senior). Nevada is known for a lot of things, and distance running is not one of them. But Eubank may change that. Jim won several X-C invitationals and took the state title by ten seconds.

Robert Fowler, Laconia HS, Laconia, N.H. (Junior). In X-C Fowler was second in the路 states and fourth in the New En glands. He is known more for age-group records, nabbing the two-mile and threemile marks at 13 and the three-mile again at age 14. Also in X-C he was fourth in the Boys Nationals (14-15).

Bobby Goss, Chelsea HS, Chelsea, Mass. (Junior). Young Bobby holds the national scholastic freshman indoor mile record (4:23.9). Last fall he won the Massachusetts-Connecticut X-C title by eleven seconds after placing second to Alberto Salazar in his state meet.

Tom Graves, Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill. (Junior). Graves is Goss' outdoor counterpart, claiming the spring freshman mile mark of 4: IS. I. Last fall he was third in a rugged state race with a time of 14:18 for three miles. He also led the nation's sophs with a 9:00.6 for two miles, and appears to be the next teenage hero on the horizon. 路 Scott Haack, Handley HS, Winchester, Va. (Senior). Haack won the state title while leading always-tough

Handley to the same honor. Scott also took the Eastern regional USTFF Junior title at University Park, Pa. Bob Hicks, Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Ill. (Senior). Hicks, teammate of Graves, gives Sandburg the best 1-2 punch in the U.S. He was 13th in the State X-C finals, then ripped off a 4:09.2 outdoor mile to place second in the states and top the nation's juniors.

Brett Hoffman, St. Petersburg HS, St. Petersburg, Fla. (Senior). Hoffman ran an 8:56.4 two-mile as a soph in '74. Last fall he piled up several big SC wins and ran off with the state title by twelve seconds with a time of 14:14 for three miles.

Tim Holmes, Downey HS, Modesto, Cal. (Senior). Holmes was the best in Northern California X-C last fall, running

QUARRYVILLE STAR- Cliff Wimer of Solanco High School in Quarryville, Pennsylvania, was undefeated in cross country and won the state AA title. He added a 9:13 two-mile run In the winter. (Harrier photo)

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

KING OF THE ROCKIES-Andy Montanez of Rocky Ford, Colorado, will be shooting for his third straight state crown in the smallschool division (AA-A), and along with Andy Martinez of Grants, New Mexico, could be best in the Southwest. (Harrier photo)

unbeaten and knocking off several course records. He added a 9:02.4 spring twomile.

Jamie Hutchison, Marshalltown HS, Marshalltown, Ia. (Senior). Several X-C tnumphs over reputable runners. Took second in state 4A division as Marshalltown won the championship.

Andy Martinez, Grants HS, Albuquerque, N.M. (Senior). Seeking an unprecedented fourth straight state title, .

Martinez also won the AAU Boys title last fall at Annapolis.

Jon Mathiason, Ames HS, Ames, Ia. (Senior). Mathiason was runner-up last fall in the state 3A X-C event, then posted a 9:01.6 spring two-mile, one of the best in the U.S. for an underclassman.

Todd McAllister, Deerfield HS, Deerfield, Ill. (Junior). As a soph Todd PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

placed an encouraging but not spectacular- 69th in the state X-C finals.

But in the spring he streaked a near-class record of 4: 10.2 for the mile. He should be well-suited for Illinois' competitive environment.

Bill McChesney, South HS, Eugene, Ore. (Senior). He's the best in the U.S. XC-wise. Ran unbeaten and won the state title by 28.5 seconds; he lowered the national outdoor ree<,:>rd for 10,000 meters that was subsequently broken by Hulst and then Chapa. He ran an 8:51 two-mile in bad weather in his state meet.

Andy Montanez, Rocky Ford HS, Rocky Ford, Colo. (Senior). Montanez will be shooting for his third-straight state crown in the small-schools division.

John Murphy, Portsmouth Abbey HS, Warren, R.I. (Senior). Hopes to duplicate his '75 X-C season, when he ran unbeaten with state, New England and National Junior Olympic victories ..

Bob Newark, Red River HS, Grand Forks, N.D. (Senior). Newark won nine of ten X-C races last fall, including the state title by twelve seconds.

Dave O'Conor, Valley Central HS, Montgomery, N.Y. (Senior). Multi-victor in X-C, then 9:11.8 indoor two-mile and 4: 10.8 outdoor mile triumph in state meet.

Alan Scharsu, Fitch HS, Austintown, Ohio (Junior). Unbeaten state champ as a soph, breaking the course record by ten seconds. Also 9:08.2 · two-mile in the spring.

Bob Siehl, Morris Hills HS, Morris Hills, N.J. (Senior). Fifth in state X-C last fall, then consistently strong at two miles in NY -NJ area.

Tom Story, Midwest City HS, Midwest City, Okla. (Senior). Tom ran unbeaten in '75 X-C and took the state title.

Bob Trujillo, Pueblo Central ·HS, Pueblo, Colo. (Senior). Bob was unbeaten in X-C till an injury put him out o( contention in the state finals.

John Tubble, Alfred-Almond HS, Alfred, N.Y. (Senior). Multi-titlist in '75 X-C. Tubble went on to a 4:14 mile in the spring.

Cliff Wimer, Solanco HS, Quarryville, Pa. (Senior). Unbeaten in XC with state 2A title. Cliff added a 9: 13 two-mile in the winter.

Footnote: Distance runners are the prime stock for college track recruiters; now that the NCAA has reduced the scholarship maximum to 14 for a given four-year period (from the old 23). That means that a distance runner, unlike a sprinter orfieldmdn, can be an asset to both the cross country and track squads.

The NCAA ruling, widely criticized in the track fraternity, has caused the college coaches to be extremely selective in the awarding of scholarships. e

In this 1110rnings rush hour,

empty seats outnumbered full seats4tol.

In a city the size of Los Angeles, that's 9,000,000 empty seats.

Think about that while you're sitting in traffic tomorrow morning.

Share the ride with a f1 iend.

D

l \

:

'i ~ ! I : l ·

•o,,,.,~,.- ~UlCI

A public service of this magazine, The U.S. Department of Transportation and The Advertising Council.

35

Basketball

Washington Dunbar, D.C. Best in .America in '76 Although Dunbar High in Washington, D.C. earned the nation's No. 1 post-season ranking on the basis of a "so called" tougher schedule, the Chiefs from Brooklyn Canarsie, New York put together a perfect 24-0 record to become the first New York City team to accomplish that feat twice.

36

SMALL TOWN BOYS' basketball teams are feted every year after winning state championships. It may be a barbecue at the local park, a steak dinner in the town's only restaurant, maybe a ticker tape parade, or just an awards ceremony at the school cafeteria. 路 But how many mayors proclaim a day in honor of the team or invite them down to City Hall? Like in New York City for instance.

With the hundreds of basketball teams competing in that huge metropolis; who keeps tabs on the best teams, or better yet, who cares? Usually not the mayor. 路 Well, in New York City, the mayot does care. Facing a monstrous pile of paperwork, a myriad of other ribboncutting ceremonies and growing financial problems, Abraham Beame took time to honor the city's No. I boys' cage team in March, Canarsie High of Brooklyn.

Although Dunbar High in Washington, D.C. earned the nation's No. I postseason ranking on the basis of a tougher schedule, the Chiefs put together a perfect 24-0 record to become the first New York City team to accomplish that feat twice.

Head coach Mark Reiner called his club "the greatest team New York City has ever seen and maybe will ever see."

Prep experts have to go back to a Connie Hawkins-led Boys High team in 1961 to come up with a comparable squad to Canarsie.

Dunbar had a 29-0 record, dealing No. 8-ranked Baltimore Lake Clifton its only two losses, one of those (78-65) in the title game of the prestigious Knights of Columbus post-season tourney in Washington. They also dropped cross-town rival and No. !!-ranked Eastern twice.

Eastern's only other defeat came at the hands of Lake Clifton.

The Crimson Tide took the measure of three additional rated teams during the season. Top players for Dunbar included 6-6 rebounding (19) and shooting (24.0) star Craig Shelton, John (Ba Ba) Duren and Steve Dade.

Canarsie had four major college

prospects, but the scoring and rebounding figures of the starting five indicated that it was not a one- or two-man show. The leaders of the clan were 6-1 guard Tyrone Ladson and 6-5 forward Curtis Redding.

Ladson, named to numerous high school All-America teams, averaged 16.9 points per game and had a career record 302 assists in four years. One writer noted that he had "the offensive instincts, the quickness of a sprinter and the special ability to survive in heavy traffic, a street instinct few players outside the big cities can fully understand or appreciate."

Ladson signed a letter of intent to play at Kansas State.

Long Beach Polytechnic, California was 30-1 last season behind Michael Wiley and 6-5 Johnny Nash who, it has been said, was the top player in California and has "arms the length of a 747." Nash averaged 14.8 points per game and is headed for Arizona State.

Philadelphia West, Pennsylvania had a 23-2 record in 1976 and has won 48 of its last 50 games. Gene Banks, a 6"6 terror, averaged 24.5 points, 21 rebounds, eight assists and three blocked shots per game.

His coach, Joey Goldenberg, says the 2051976 National Boys' High School Basketball Rankings

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

Washington (Dunbar), D.C. Brooklyn (Canarsie), New York Long Beach (Polytechnic), California Philadelphia (West), Pennsylvania Marion, Indiana Babylon, New York El Paso (Eastwood), Texas Baltimore (Lake Clifton), Maryland Conway, Arkansas Pittsburgh (Fifth Avenue), Penn.

Washington (Eastern), D.C. Barberton, Ohio East Orange, New Jersey Ventura (Buena), California North Babylon, New York Compiled by Art Joh/fs, National Sports News Service, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

pounder "can do it all ... very, very strong ... exceptionally quick ... super shooter (65 percent) to 20 feet." Another coach said Banks was "head and shoulders above Adrian Dantley (Notre Dame)."

Dave Colescott, a 6-0 guard with a 26.0 shooting mark, paced Marion, Indiana to its second consecutive state title with a 235 record. Colescott, who averaged 10 assists in his first four state tournament games, will enroll at North Carolina.

The remainder of the teams in the top 15 include Babylon, New York with a 23-0 record; El Paso Eastwood, Texas, 31-3; Baltimore Lake Clifton, Maryland, 22-2; Conway, Arkansas, 36-0 and state champs; Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue, Pennsylvania, 16-0 (a strike cut its season short); Washington Eastern, District of Columbia, 26-3; Barberton, Ohio, 26-0 and state champs; East Orange, New Jersey, 29-3; Ventura Buena, California, 23-8 and North Babylon, New York, 18-2.

For the size of the area, Washington, D.C. had to be the boys' basketball capital in 1976. Two of the nation's top seniors played on teams that couldn't even crack the top 15 - Bill Bryant, a 6-6 star at Carrol who averaged 20.0 points per game, and 6-2 Jo Jo Hunter, who poured in 28.1 points a contest for Mackin. Hunter, headed for the University of Maryland, was held under 20 points only six times in 27 games. He recorded 57- and 53-point games last season. James Ratliff, 6-8, from Eastern, averaged 23.0 points.

Here now is a geographic rundown on some of the top players from our rated teams: 路 In the East, 6-7 Sylvester (Sly) Williams from New Haven Lee, Connecticut averaged 31.3 points, 22 rebounds and four assists per game. He had 1,453 points and 1,122 rebounds in four seasons. Others are Doug Roberts (65) from Rumford, Maine; Joe Beaulieu (69) and Felton Sealey (6-4) from Boston Don Bosco, Massachusetts; Chuck Threeths (6-6) from Lackawanna, New York; Roosevelt Bouie (6-9) from Kendall, New York; Andre Battle (6-3) from Yonkers, New York; Glen Vickers (6-2) from Babylon, New York; Larry Petty (69) from New York City Power Memorial Academy and Kelly Tripucka (6-5) from Bloomfield, New Jersey. 路 Also, Flip Williams (6-2) from Neptune, New Jersey; Leon Kearney (6-3) continued LEYDEN LEADER-Glen Grunwald, 6-9 center from Franklin Park East Leyden, Illinois (right) averaged 25.6 points and 12.2 rebounas per game to pace the Eagles to 25-1 and 28-1 seasons the past two years.

Headed for the University of Indiana, Grunwald Is reported to be the first fourtime all-state selection in the history of high school ball in Illinois.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

from Plainfield, New Jersey; Sam Clancy (6-5) and Bill Clarke (6-7) from Pittsburgh Fifth Avenue, Pennsylvania; Stretch Graham, Brooklyn Lafayette, New York; Kevin Hamilton, North Babylon, New York; Howard McNeill and Keith Parham, Abington, Pennsylvania and John Bates, Norristown Bishop Kendrick, Pennsylvania.

In the South, the five best performers were 6-4 Darrell Griffith from Louisville Male, Kentucky, 6-5 Charles (Hawkeye) Whitney from Hyattsville De Matha, Maryland, 6-2 Clyde (The Glide) Austin from Richmond Maggie Walker, Virginia, 6-10 Ricky Brown from Atlanta West Fulton, Georgia and 6-8 Jonathan Moore from Charleston Burke, South Carolina.

Griffith, who along with 6-4 teammate Bobby Turner, is headed for the University of Louisville, has been called by some as the No. I player in the country. The two-time All-American hit 62 percent of his shots for a 24.3 average and pulled down 13 rebounds a game, too. Whitney, who will go to North Carolina State, averaged 23.0 points. Austin, to join Whitney at N.C. State, averaged 30.0 points a game and scored 33 and handed out 13 assists in the AAA Virginia state tournament finals, an 82-68 win over Springfield Lee. Brown, going to Mississippi State, was one of the best big men in the high school ranks last season.

His Atlanta West Fulton team went 29-0, won the state AA crown and has now won 33 straight. Brown averaged 26.0 points.

Moore, who goes on to Furman, was South Carolina Player of the Year in 1975 and 1976. No team scored more than 50 points against Charleston Burke thanks to Moore who averaged 27 rebounds per game. He also scored 33 a game.

Other top players are Arnold Gaines (6-4) from Baltimore Lake Clifton, Maryland; Bucky Roman (6-4) from Springfield Lee, Virginia; Dion Rainey (6-5) from Orlando Edgewater, Florida; Don Brock (5-9) from Atlanta¡ West Fulton, Georgia; Joe Jenkins (6-5) from Gulfport, Mississippi and Charlie Davis (6-7) from Nashville McGavock, Tennessee.

Also, Lawson Pilgrim, Conway, Arkansas; Kenneth Smith, College Park, Georgia; Wayne Abrams, Atlanta Douglass, Georgia; Carlos Zuniga, New Orleans Holy Cross, Louisiana; Jordy Hultberg, New Orleans De La Salle, Louisiana and Andre King, New Orleans Landry, Louisiana.

I

MANUAL ACE - You can always count on Denver Manual in the tough Rockie Mountain battlegrounds. Here, All-American LaVon Williams (left) stops for the whistle during 72-55 win over Cherry Creek before 17,384 fans and statewide TV. PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 19.76

Defending NCAA champion Indiana picked up three of the best in the Midwest ... Glen Grunwald, 6~9. from Franklin Park East Leyden, Illinois, Derek Holcomb, 6-10, from Peoria Richwoods, Illinois. and Butch Carter, 6-5, fror:n Middleton, Ohio. Grunwald was reported to be the only four-time all-stater in Illinois history. He had 25.6 and i 2.2

scoring and rebounding marks, respectively. East Leyden was 25-1 and 281 the past two seasons. Richwoods was 836 over the last two campaigns behind Holcorrib, a 69 percent shooter. He scored 21 per game and totaled I ,491 points and I ,005 rebounds in three years. Carter was Ohio's Player of the Year with a 20.0 average. continued

Next On The "600" List BARRING A CATASTROPHE- like a volcanic eruption in southeastern New Mexico or the second coming of the Ice Age- Ralph Tasker should soon have the all-time national basketball coaching record in his hip pocket by the time he starts thinking about retirement. Tasker, who guided his 27th edition of the Hobbs (New Mexico) Eagles to a 22-5 record during the 1975-76 season, still has quite a way to go before he reaches that magic 800-rilark. However, if the Eagles basketball program keeps rolling along at the current pace, Tasker should land the national record before he reaches his 65th birthday.

According to Doug Huff of The Intelligencer in Wheeling, W ..V., the all-time prep record is currently held by John Treadway of Elizabethtown (Tennessee) High School. Between 1932 and 1973, basketball teams coached by Treadway won 842 games and lost only 337. Denver Miller of Kirkwood, Mo. has a 762-351 won-lost record in 42 years since 1934; the famed coach of the Passaic, N.J., team that once won 159 games in a row -' Ernest Blood - probably owns the best overall coaching record in history. He had an eye-popping 200-1 record at Passaic and won over 1,000 games overall, but not all were on the prep level, some coming in YMCA and private school competition.

Tasker's all-time coaching record in his 31 years in the coaching profession list more than 650 victories. However, his exact won-lost record for the three years he spent in Lovington, New Mexico, is not known, therefore leaving a bit of mystery in the old master's credentials. H,e came to New Mexico after starting his career in the tiny community of Sulphur Springs, Ohio, where his squad ended up 5-11 in his only year of trying to rebuild a team that failed to win a single game the year before.

Since taking over the Hobbs High School basketball reins in 1949, Tasker- originally from Moundsville, West Virginia - has guided the Eagles to almost unbelievable heights. Highlights of his 27 years for the Eagles include 606 victories against 154 defeats, seven state basketball championships, a perfect 28-0 record during the 1965-66 season, a 53-game winning streak, a national scoring record of 114.6 points per game by his famed 1969-70 team, a state record 170 points against rival Carlsbad, and the 1969 National Coach of the Year, selected by the National High School Athletic Coaches Association. His 1976 squad, dominated by sophomores, fi11ished 22-5 on the season and lost to top-ranked Las Cruces, II 0-96 in the New Mexico AAAA finals.

Not many basketball coaches in the Great Southwest are as respected as Tasker.

His teams, which have been called "the greatest full-court pressing teams in American high school basketball," even lose in style. In 1972, Carlsbad won a 123121 come-from-behind scorcher, allowing the Eagles to score the most points ever in a losing high school basketball game. Midway through the 1973 cage season a disastrous trip deep into the heart of Texas saw Hobbs fall to Midland Lee. 93-90 in two-overtimes, Houston Westchester, 82-80 on a desperation shot at the buzzer while Hobbs was committing 30 turnovers, and the nation's No. !-ranked prep team, Houston Wheatley, 114-106. In the 1975 state AAAA tournament, Las Cruces shot a torrid 72.4 percent from the field to clip the Eagles¡ wings, I01-96.

The legends left by the John Treadways and Ernest Bloods of high school basketball in America loom big, indeed. However, by the time Ralph Tasker gets through with his coaching career at Hobbs, New Mexico, he could well be standing above them all.

Manny Marquez

39

Indiana; Rick Goins, Rushville, Indiana; Mike Prince, . Detroit Central Catholic, Michigan; Elmer Jackson, Canton McKinley, Ohio; Kurt Nimphius, South Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Tom Warda and Mark Jelacic, Milwaukee Marquette, Wisconsin.

The biggest high school player last year held down the center spot at Seattle Cleveland, Washington. Jawann Oldham, at 611 V2, was among a host of class cagers in the West. Oldham averaged only 15.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game, but 6-8 teammate James Woods came close to equalling those statistics to give Cleveland High a terrific one-two punch. Consequently, the school became the first in Washington to win AA and AAA state titles back-to-back. Los Angeles California's AAAA Co-Player of the Year was 6-8 James Wilkes at Dorsey. Wilkes, averaging 17.9 points, led his team to its first-ever city title and was only the fourth player in II years to be named all-city two straight years.

Other players of note in the West

included 6-7 LaVon Williams of Denver Manual, Colorado; 6-6 Adam Beadle from Las Cruces, New Mexico; 6-5 Kent Williams from high-scoring Hobbs, New Mexico; 6-4 Dewayne Williams from Oklahoma City Southeast, Oklahoma; 6-3 Nathaniel Quinn from Boley, Oklahoma; 6-5 Anthony McMillian from Dallas South Oak Cliff, Texas; 6-1 Reggie Barnett from Great Falls, Montana; 6-4 Radford Smith from Las Vegas, Nevada; 6-6 junior Danny Vranes from Salt Lake City Skyline, Utah; 6-8 Darrell Allums and 6-4 Tommy Freeman from Lynwood, California; 6-1 Donnie Martin from Oakland Castlemont, Oilifornia; 6-4 Ron Baxter from Los Angeles Dorsey, California; 6-5 Jeff Stoutt from Lake Oswego, Oregon; 6-1 Cal Ervin from Seattle Cleveland, Washington; 6-4 Steve Matzen from Tacoma Lincoln, Washington; Jay Wesley from Phoenix East, Arizona; Steve Bajema¡ from Englewood Cherry Creek, Colorado and Marcus Hamilton from powerful Los Angeles Verbum Dei. e

BEST OF THE REST

NO SUCH LUCK - Ralph Tasker, to no avail, tries to rally his sophomore-dominated troops during 110-96 loss to Las Cruces in 1976 New Mexico AAAA tournament. An earlier 118-85 win over El Paso Ysleta gave Tasker his 600th win at Hobbs, and he now stands 606-154 as the Eagles' coach. (Hobbs News-Sun photo)

40

Other top prospects in this area were 66 Earvin Johnson from Lansing Everett, Michigan; 6-7 Chuck Harmison from Ames, Iowa; 6-1 Larry Drew from Kansas City Wyandotte, Kansas; 6-10 Bill Henry from Minneapolis Central, Minnesota; 6-7 Steve Lingenfelter from Bloomington Jefferson, Minnesota; 6-10 Kevin McHale and 6-5 John Retica from Hibbing, Minnesota; 6-8 Johnny Parker and 6-4 Arthur McFadden from St. Louis Central, Missouri; 5-11 Rick Allison and 5-11 Mick Allison from Kansas City Center, Missouri; 6-4 Mike McGee from Omaha North and 6-5 Ted Parks from Omaha Creighton Prep.

Also, Levi Cobb, Chicago Morgan Park, Illinois; Robert Byrd, Chicago Phillips, Illinois; John Hendler, Franklin Park East Leyden, Illinois; Ron Hicks, Aurora West, Illinois; Drake Morris and Keith Walker, East Chicago Washington,

Alabama - Alabaster Thompson; Alaska - Anchorage Dimond, Ketchikan; Arizona- Coolidge, Chandler, Phoenix East; Arkansas- Holly Grove; CaliforniaLos Angeles Dorsey, Los Angeles Verbum Dei, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs, San Diego Kearny, Los Angeles Crenshaw, Oakland CastiE;!mont, Lynwood; ColoradoDenver Manual, Englewood Cherry Creek, Boulder, Denver Holy Family; Connecticut -New Haven Lee, Hartford Weaver, Middletown, Norwich; District of Columbia- St. John's; Florida- Orlando Edgewater, Miami Jackson, Tallahassee Leon; GeorgiaSavannah, Atlanta West Fulton, College Park, Atlanta Douglass; Hawaii - Honolulu Kamehameha; Idaho- Boise Capital; Illinois- Chicago Morgan Park, Franklin Park East Leyden, Aurora West, Peoria Richwoods, Decatur Eisenhower, Mt. Pulaski, Chicago Phillips, Oneida Nova; .Indiana - Rushville, Jeffersonville, East Chicago Washington; Iowa - Ames, Marshalltown, Forest City; Kansas - Atchinson, Kansas City Wyandotte, Highland Park; Kentucky - Louisville Male, Louisville Ballard, Hopkinsville Christian County, Wichita Heights; Brownsville Edmonson County, Shelbyville Shelby County; Louisiana - New Orleans Landry, New Orleans De La Salle, Plaquemine, New Orleans Holy Cross, Alexandria Peabody, Campti; Maine Rumford; Maryland - Towson Loyola, Parkdale, Hyattsville De Matha Catholic, Aberdeen, Baltimore MI. St. Joseph, Bethesda Chevy Chase; Massachusetts B<is\on Don Bosco, Boston English, Worcester Doherty; Michigan - Detroit Catholic Central, Flint Beecher, Lansing Everett, Saginaw; Minnesota - Bloomington Jefferson, Minneapolis Central, Hibbing, Minneapolis Marshall, Prior Lake; !'Jiississippi - Florence Brads.haw, Hollandale Simmons, Gulfport; Missouri - St. Louis Central, Kansas City Center, St. Joseph Lafayette; Montana - Great Falls, Missoula Sentinel; Nebraska - Omaha Creighton Prep, Omaha North; Nevada- Las Vegas, Las Vegas Clark; New Hampshire - Manchester Trinity; New Jersey Neptune, Bloomfield, Plainfield; New Mexico - Las Cruces, Hobbs, Deming; New York - Brooklyn Lafayette, New York City Power Memorial Academy, Lackawanna, Yonkers, Kendall; North Carolina- Pineville South Mecklenburg, Marion McDowell; North Dakota -Jamestown, Graham; Ohio -Canton McKinley, Middletown, Dayton Roth, Toledo Scott; Oklahoma - Spencer Star Spencer, Oklahoma City Southeast, Boley; Oregon --'- North Eugene, Lake Oswego; Pennsylvania- Abington, Norristown Bishop Kendrick, Philadelphia Roman Catholic; Rhode Island - East Providence; South Carolina - Charleston Burke; South Dakota- Sioux Falls Lincoln; Tennessee ~ Nashville McGavock, Knoxville Catholic, Humboldt, Chattanooga Riverside, Nashville North; Texas- Tyler John Tyler, Victoria, Dallas South Oak Cliff, Broaddus; Utah - Salt Lake City Skyline; Vermont - Bennington Mt. Anthony; Virginia Richmond Maggie Walker, Richmond Tucker, Springfield Lee; Washington- Seattle Cleveland, Tacoma Lincoln; Wisconsin - South Milwaukee, Milwaukee Marquette, Marathon.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

1976 AII&IDAmeriea Basketball Team FIRST TEAM Average Player Height School 24.0 Craig Shelton ............ 6-6 ... Washington Dunbar, D.C. Gene Banks ............. 6-6 ... Philadelphia West, Pa. . ...... . 24.5 Glen Grunwald .......... 6-9 ... Franklin Park East Leyden, Ill. . 25.6 Darrell Griffith ........... 6-4 ... Louisville Male, Ky. . ......... . 24.3 Jo Jo Hunter ............ 6-3 ... Washington Mackin, D.C. 28.1 Tyrone Ladson ..........

Dave Colescott ..........

Albert King ..............

Derek Holcomb ..........

Butch Carter .............

SECOND TEAM 6-1 ... Brooklyn Carnarsie, N.Y ........16.9 6-0 ... Marion, Ind. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26.0 6-6 ... Brooklyn Fort Hamilton, N.Y. . . 26.0 6-10 ... Peoria Richwoods, Ill. . . . . . . . . . 21.0 6-5 ... Middletown, Ohio ............. 20.0

Stuart House ............

Mike O'Koren ............

Johnny Nash ............

Sylvester Williams ........

Jonathan Moore .........

THIRD TEAM 6-11 .... Detroit Denby, Mich ...........

6-7 ... Jersey City Hudson Catholic, N.J. 6-5 ... Long Beach Polytechnic, Calif.

6-7 ... New Haven Lee, Conn. . ......

6-8 ... Charleston Burke, S.C. . . . . . . .

30.0 24.4 14.8 31.3 33.0

LaVon Williams ..........

Charles Whitney ...... : . . , Clyde Austin, .............

Ricky Brown .............

Rich Branning ...........

FOURTH TEAM 6-7 ... Denver Manual, Colo ..........

6-5 ... Hyattsville De Matha, Md. . ....

6-2 ... Richmond Maggie Walker, Va. 6-10 ... Atlanta West Fulton, Ga .......

6-3 ... Huntington Beach Marina, Calif.

19.0 23.0 30.0 26.0 25.0

Bill Bryant ...............

Jawann Oldham ... ·......

James Wilkes ............

Jim Graziano ............

Wayne McKoy ...........

FIFTH TEAM 6-6 ... Washington Carrol, D.C. . .....

6-11 ... Seattle Cleveland, Wash. . . . . . .

6-8 ... Los Angeles Dorsey, Calif. . ...

6-9 ... Farmingdale, N.Y. . ...........

6-9 ... Brookville Lutheran, N.Y.......

20.0 15.6 17.9 19.5 21.8

--~-~~----------·-···-·- ---~--------------------------

Girls Basketball

By Steve Guss

Iowa May Be Queen But Bradley Central Is Tops No state in America can match Iowa when it comes to top-notch girls basketball programming, but in 1976 the¡ cream of the cage crop was in Cleveland, Tennessee, where Bradley Central has won 72 straight.

42

WHEN BASKETBALL COACH James Smiddy forwarded information on his girls' team at Cleveland Bradley Central, Tennessee, there was seven cents due on the envelope. We couldn't afford not to pay the postman. Bradley Central was the No. I girls' team in 1975 with a 36-0 record and Smiddy had I 0 of his 12 players returning.

Well, it was worth the additional seven cents. Smiddy's girls won another 36 games this past season and captured their second consecutive state and national titles. The 72-game winning streak is the longest in the nation. Waco Midway, Texas has won 71 straight, Detroit Holy Rosary, Michigan 48, Asbury Park, New Jersey 42 and Albuquerque Eldorado, New Mexico 31.

Smiddy's summary of the season was a bit mystifying. "We had two or three close games in mid-season with three starters being out due to sickness." In looking over his game scores, it's difficult to determine what Smiddy meant by "close." Except for a 61-58 victory over Soddy Daisy in the seventh game of the campaign, no opponent came within 20 points of Bradley Central until the finals of the regional tournament.

Smiddy's girls scored 2,421 points in 36 games for a 67.3 average. Their opposition managed only 1,297, a 36.0 average. They breezed through three district and three regional tests before beating Sevier County, 54-30 in the sub-state tournament. At the state championships, Hixon fell, 56-16 and Gallabin, 37-24 before Smyrna (33-5 and No. 19 in the national rankings) succumbed, 36-35. Some of Bradley Central's stars in 1976 included Tracey Dixon, Kathy Kirkpatrick, Neasy Barret, Karen Wilson, Kathy Chastain, Sharon Davis and Data Caldwell.

Lake View-Auburn, Iowa won its second consecutive state championship, but coach Louis (Bud) McCrea had some anxious moments early in the season with the Hawkettes 10-3 and losers twice to unbeaten Manilla, 59-47 and 57-48. The loss of four seniors from his 1975 title team

and an early-season illness to forward Mickie Olberding forced McCrea to revamp both his offense and defense. "No one gave us much of a chance to win the state title again, including myself," said the Hawkettes coach.

However, his girls, who have won 53 consecutive conference games, rolled over their last 18 foes enroute to a 28-3 season and the state crown. The finale was especially sweet since the Hawkettes upended Manilla, 60-50 to hand the latter

1976 National Girls' High School Basketball Rankings

1. Cleveland (Bradley Central), Tenn.

2. Lake View-Auburn, Iowa 3. De Ridder-Lake Charles, Louisiana

4. Duncanville, Texas 5. Bladensburg (Seaton), Maryland 6. Asbury Park, New Jersey 7. Allentown (Dieruff), Pennsylvania B. Ventura, California 9. Detroit (Northeastern), Michigan 10. Albuquerque (Eldorado), N.M. 11. Buhler, Kansas 12. Shelton, Connecticut 13. Golden, Colorado 14. Washington (Regina), D.C. 15. Victoria, Texas Compiled by Art Johlfs, National Sports News Service.

its only loss in 31 games during 1976.

Winning the Iowa championship is no easy task. There are 10 tournament games on the sectional, district, regional and state levels. Kay Pick was a first team all-state selection for the Hawkettes with Olberding making the fourth team.

It was a battle of the unbeatens when defending New Jersey All-Groups champion Asbury Park (27-0) came up against Paramus Catholic (26-0) in that state's title game this year. Milton Parker's Lady Bishops prevailed, 80-58 to win a second straight crown and extend their winning string to 42 games.

Asbury Park was threatened only once

during the season, edging St. Rose in overtime, 59-56. Nine opponents scored fewer than 25 points against the champs. L!ikewood fell, 83-56 in the Shore Conference title game and Notre Dame was dropped, 56-43 in the Central Jersey championship tilt. . The Lady Bishops were Jed by 5-10 junior Pam Reaves, a first team all-state selection who averaged 20.8 points and 12.8 rebounds per game. She now has 1,095 career points. Collin Colleens, a 6-0 senior, also a first team all-state choice, scored 16.5 points per game and had a career total of 1,165. Senior Betty McGuire averaged 12.3 points and 10.4 rebounds. Martha Megill, a senior, had 12.2 points and 10.4 rebounds a contest.

Parker also noted that his entire first team were honor students.

Ventura, California has made a meteoric three-year rise .in girls' basketball.

The Cougars were 9-1 as independents in 1974, undefeated in league play but semifinal losers in tourney competition last season and 23-0 and CIF "AAAA" champions in 1976. There are nearly 400 schools in Southern California's CIF and 32 qualify for the state championships.

Ventura, now 46-3 over three seasons, easily eliminated four teams to reach the AAAA finals in April. The Cougars had a four-point lead with four minutes to play against Crescenta Valley, but eventually won, 51-37 behind Lynn Wright's 21 points to complete a perfect year under cuach Chuck Shively.

Wright, a junior and a first team CJF selection and Player of the Year in AAAA com petition, averaged 17.5 points per

HOOK ARTIST - Cleveland (Bradley Central), Tennessee center Data Caldwell Iotts this hook shot against Sevier County in a 54-30 win at the 1976 sub-state tournament. Bradley Central won 36 straight games for the second year and its 72-game winning streak is the longest in the nation in girls' basketball.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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game. She was joined by senior forward Lynn Clopper, ali-CIF and all-Channel League, second team league picks Julie Hornback (senior) and Colleen Mills (junior) and Caryn Hertel Uunior).

Clopper, Hornback and. Mills are members of the Miss Softball America team which has won the national title the p~st two years. Wright is a five-sport letter winner.

Another high school team which did not let grass grow under its feet in climbing to the top rung, is Albuquerque Eldorado, New Mexico. Coach Steve Silverberg started a girls' program three years ago and has produced a 58-4 overall record and two back-to-back state championships to show for it. This year's club was 23-0 after disposing of Portales, 51-35 in the state title game. The Eagles had previously beaten Cibola, 76-35 and 69-42 at both the district and regional levels.

Silverberg is 路 assisted by. Nadine Hadley, whose elementary school team is 73-3 in six years ofplay. Eldorado has won 31 straight and 46 of its last 4 7 contests.

That loss was 41-36 to Reserve last year in a 23-1 campaign. Following that season the Eagles won the:: district, state and southwest regional AAU championships with one of the victories coming over the University of New Mexico. The team was beaten by one point in the first round of the National AAU Tournament. Coach Silverberg lost first tearri all-state guard Susan Schuster ahd guard Donna And~;:rson. However, he returns seven lettermen in 1976-77 including first路 team . all-state forward Taryn Bachi~ and second ieam all-state forward Katrina Dunnagan.

The teain that wins the Kansas girls' state basketball crown has no.easy road to hoe. If you're fortunate fo survive the substate and class (A through AAAAA) tourneys, a Grand State Tournament, where all five class champions l\re thrown 路. . together, is the big finale. 路 Buhler, Kansas (24-4) w,as certainly not an early-season choice to make.any Of all of these tournaments after splitting its first four games. However, Jim Bake'r'_s c~arges surprised everyone by winning 21 of their FLYING EAGLE - Susan .Schuster, a 5-8 senior guard, led the Albuquerque Eldorado Eagles to the 1(176 New Mexico stat& championship with a 51-35 victory over Portales. The all-state performer shoots in the title game while teammate. Rev;>e. Burch (33) watches. Eagles were 23-0 this year and are 58-4 since girls' basketball began at the school three years ago.

GRAND SHOT-Anne Oyck (right) of Buhler,.

Kansas High School, gets off a jump shot over a Hutchinson defender in the Grand State Tournament. Buhler, eventual co-nsolation champion iri the event and 24-4 for the season,. defeated Hutchinson, 52-37 in this game. Dyck had 219 points on the' year.

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

45

next 22 games including sub-state (Haven, ship until this season. Capturing the 65-43) and AAA titles (Andale; 38~34) to honors in the inaugural event were the qualify for the Grand Tournament. Buhler Demons from Golden High School, and it . l?eat,H~tchinson, 52-37 in the opening took a girls' team to bring home the first round, but lost to Jackson Heights, 39-36 state championship trophy the school has before capturing the consolation trophy won since 1953 (cross-country was the last with a 52~43 win over Liberal. one 23 years ago). .

Beth Epp(J31 points), Tammy Siefkes Golden was beaten by Westminster, . (313), Sh_aron Johnston (223) and Anne 30-29 in the second game ofth~ Se11son and . Dyck (219) were ~he top scorers. Epp led played· second · fiddk . to· Fairview. iit the _the .rebounding corps with 27Q and Dyck. · polls 1111 season until.the tw,o ·faced off in had 254. · the state semifinals. The Demons defeateg There weren't any ranked Colorado the Knights, 58-47 to earn a·s~ond shot at . girls basketball teams last. year because Westminster in the finals .. This t.ime the the ~tate did not hold its first. champion~ Golden girls left no doubt who was-No. -I by winning, 40-26 and finishing 23- L .

Coach AI Morris announced 'his n:tirement after the state tournament and will turn over the coaching duties .to J:iis assistant, Terry Jones. Miss Jones will lose "all-everything" seniors Sue Ellis · and l\1arcia Hutchinson, but will wdcome back honorable mer.tion all~stater Martha Hutchinson, Nancy Bachman_, Debbie Garramone and Julie Korthuis, all juniors.

There are nine sophomores coming up, too.

Only two seconds separated Victoria, Texas from victory or defeat iit the state AAAA championship this year. The Stingarettes came into the finals against Duncanville with a 33-l record (a 58-56 loss to Corpus Christi Calallen. was the lone blemish). Down. 23-8 starting the second quarter, Victoria rallied to tie the· score, 64-64 at the end of regulation play and led, 69-68 with two ticks on the clock in overtime. Duncanville's Christi Catts, a

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FIVE SPORTS - Basketball is only on~ of five sports Lynn Wright (with hand raised) excels in at Ventura, California Hig_h School.

During the winter she averaged 17.5 points per game to lead the Cougars to a_ 23-0 season and the Southern California . CIF crown with a 51-37 victory over Crescenta - Valley. Wright and Lynn Clopper (22) were a11-state selections in 1976.

27.-point-per-'garrie sophomore scorer, hit a jump sHot as the Pantherettes won, 70-69 and finished 33-3 .

First-year c0 ai:h Jan •.Lahodny had brought her· .Stingarettes to t_he state tourney for the first tirrie since 1971 (Duncanville was making its eighth trip).

Victoria woh five tournament titles inCluding three leadingto state, and set a: !)umber of school records including 2,393 total team points. Giria Boldt scored 622, of them and finished with a career total of 1,576. She'll play at Wharton Junior College this year. Von Bunri .had 516 points !!nd . I ,658 in fo_ur years. _She received a scholarship . to. attend Texas A&M. There were only two juniors and five sophomores .on the squad. . . The National Federation of State High School Associations riotes that of the five million ·secondary school sports parth;ipant_s this year, over one million are girls.

Some states like Iowa, Tennessee, Georgia, Okl!lhoma and others.have been holding girls' basketball tournaments for years; Others are in their infancy, but the progress. is notable. · _ - .

The media have been slow to react to the growth of girls'_sports, but .if'a 1~71 Iowa state tournament quarterfinal game is an example of the kind of excitement the gals bring to the fa,ns, a news coverage turnaround is not far. off. ·In· that game, Mediapolis defeated two-time state champ Montezuma, 104-102 in overtime. Iyfontezurria, had won 89 straight games and only a 71-polnt effmt by Mediapolis' Barb.

Wischmeier stopped it. e

·BEST OF THE REST .

Alask~ -'Fairbanks East Lathrop, Bartlett; Arizona- Joseph City; Arkansa~ __: Calico Rock, Cross .Stephens; Califorr~ia - Crescenta Valley, Righetti, :Santa A.na Mater. Dei, Newport Beach Corona Del Mar; Colorado -:- Westll)iris~er .. B?ulder Fairview, H~ritage, Campo; Con·necticut-: N!!wHaven Lee; l)elaware.-:-=-- Wllm~ngton Ursaline Academy; pistrict of Columbia -.Ballou., Holy ~ross, E;:aste~n;_Fio~ld_a_­ Neptu_rie Beach FletciJer, _Orlando,.Bo(Jn~, HaJiand~le, Pensacola ~at~<ii1~;·G_eorg1_a Canton. Cherokee.. Waycross, CarnesVIlle Franklin County; lnd1ana .- ,Bio<Jmfleld, Warsaw, .East C)licago Rossevelt, li'ldianapolis Arsenal Tec;h; l_owa - Manilla, Ce~ar Rapids Washington, Mediapolis, Andrew; ~a~sas ..,... Hut~hi~~~n:. Liberal, Hill C1ty; Kel')tucky - Loui~vllle Sacred Heart, Lou1s_ville Butler; Lou1s1ana -·New Orle.ans Grace King, Mer Rouge Delta,' Pitkin, Waterproof; Lacal?sine, Nevv Iberia_; Maryland,Wheaton; . Massachusetts - Brockton, Marshfield, . Cambndge H1g.h & Lalm, Worcester Doherty; Michigan ~ Farmington Our Lady of Mercy;_ Detroit .Dominican, Gladwin; Minnesota - St. Paul Central, Minneapolis St. Margaret'sAca.demy, Redwood.FaiJs; Glencoe; Mississippi '-7 Walnut Grove South Leake, Lucedal~ Geor'!]_e County; Missouri.- Edina Knox County, Ravenvvood Northeast Nodaway, Exc.elslor Springs St. Mary's; New Jersey..,.. Paramus Catholic, Belmar St. Ro~e; New M~!IICO.­ Portales; Nelii York - New, York City Ben Franklin, Far Rockaway, Selden Cen_ter Reach, Uniondale,. New York City .John Adams; _North Carolina """ Cameron Un1o~ Pines, Hickory; Ohio - Watterson, G~lianria t,incoln, .Warrer. Champion; Oklahl:!rna ..., Woodward, Ada Byng, Ada, Choctaw; Oregon -'- South Salem; Pennsylvania -:Darby-Col.wyn, Philadelphia St. Ma,.Y's-Garette, Philadelphia West, Brac;lford, Philadelphia Archbishop Ryan, Philadelphia South; ·South Dakota - Y~nkton; Tennessee.- Smyrna, Lewisburg Marshall County,.AtiJens McMinn County, Hixson, Gallatin, Memphis Trezevant; Texas - Waco Midway, Wichita Falls; Virginia Norfolk Robinson, Falls Church Marshall, Vir~]inia Beach Cox; Wisconsin- Madison West. · ·

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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MinMsota may be the high ·school hOckey capital of America, but in 1976 No,. 1ranked Hamden, Coilnecticot won it all in its _41st consecutive season on ice.

MORE AND MORE of the college hockey. te~m~ in this country today lire l;>eing ·bolstered. by United States home· grown talent.. That's not to say the game won't .continue to be· dominated by ~anadian. players. it will, a!)d for some time to come., ~owever, the media .has begun to notice- the ,influx _<if Americanborn icers, many of whom have been devel: oped. in successful al)d growing age-group and .high school programs. ' .. . The -balance of, high school power appears ~o be ·in the East with 10 of the 15 squads in the' )976 ·post-season rankings ~ciming from -there. Head.i!lg. the elite list this year is . the Hamden, Connec.ticv.t Dragons, moving up· from No.3 nationally in 1975. Coach Louis Astorino's club wori its fourth consecutive state championship with. an overall 21·2 ;record.· · The· school !!<>mpleted its 41st year ·o( competitive hockey ..Under ·~stori.no; who was ait,All~ East goalie at Hamd~n · <:tutipg the 1952-53 season, they have won lO state .titles· ip the past 17 .years. ~is record is a dazzling 2jJ;8.8~2. Following victories over New Canaan (6·1), West Haven (5-3) and :Amity (4·3). ·in the C.I.A. C. state tourpament; Hamderi trav~led to Finland and Sweden. wh.ete the team compiled_ an impressive 4-2-1 record. ~he Dragons, who play. in their own '1,100-seat rink, won all· 12 interstate <;ontests. Their only defeats cam·e·.at the hands of Cathedral, Mass., 42, and N!;!w Prep, Mass., 7-2, . · . J-Iamden returns four. ,of its top six scorers for.'this season ·as well as both g~alies. Biggest loss wil~ be the departure of Charli~ Molloy, whose ·175 points (6.7 of them last year on 32 goats· and 35 assists) -in 'three years set an ali-time Hamden record.. Howeyer; juniors Joe Gagliardi, Otto Marenholz and Keii Sutfin- passed the l 00-point career mark last season. The trio combined for 149 .poin.ts in 1976. Sopl)omore Bill Ford and goalies Mark Wimmer

and .Mike Cappiello will Md depth next year. Junior varsity captain Danny Triano will also h~lp. · . .

Grand Forks. Red River,. North Dakota, although beaten in the state finals, 3-2, by last year's No.5 rated Grand Forks Central, dents this year's rankings by virtue of a,)0-4-1 record in· an exciting season under coach Rick Ulvin. Ulvin's Roilghriders won half of their games by three goals or less and had spirited series with· Grand Forks East, Grafton and Central. · . . After beating Grafton, 6-3 and Central, 8:4 i~. the Regional Tournament, the· Roughriders trounced ~hanley, 15-2, and edged Grafton, -3-2 before bowing in . the State Tournament finals at the University Of North Dakota to. Central. · .''Red River is. the only North Dakota team to have played in the state champion.. 1976 National High Si:ho91 Hockey Rankings · 1.

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10.

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15.

Hamden, Connecticut Grand Rapids, Minnesota Massena (Central), New York Winthrop, Massachusetts Grand Forks {Red River), North Dakota . .

Madison (Memorial), Wisconsin Niles (Notre Dame), ·Illinois Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania Berlin, New Hampshire · Providence (LaSalle), Rhode Island South Windsor, Connecticut St. Albans (Bellows Free Acaaemy), Vermont Lewiston, Maine Burriliville,' Rhode Island Richfield, Minnesota.

Compill;d by Art Johlfs, National Sports News Service, Minneapolis, Minnesota.

PREP. I OCTOBEfl-NOVEMBER 1976

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ship game the last three straight years," said Ulvin, whose school is only in its ninth year of hockey competition.

Bill Howard's Madison Memorial, Wisconsin Spartans set new state records in every offensive and defensive category in rolling up a 22-0 record in 1976. For that number of games, it was the first unbeaten team in Wisconsin history. The Spartans shut out 10 of their opponents, seven of those blankings coming in the last II games of the season. No team scored more than three goals against Howard's club, and that occurred only twice.

Madison outscored opponents, 209-20, and outshot them, 761-301. That was an average of more than 34 shots on goal per game and less than 14 against. During one stretch of 14 periods, the Spartans held five teams scoreless, and over an eightgame span, scored 84 goals while permitting only two.

Individual state records were established by the line of center Mark Johnson (121 points) and wings Pete Johnson (65 points) and Ben Hoble (59 points). Goalie Tom Blue! had a goals-against average of 0.81, lowest ever in the state. He posted eight shutouts and allowed only II goals in 13 games. Graduating seniors at Madison had a three-year record of 61-6.

When Niles Notre Dame, Illinois won the state AAA hockey championship last March with a 4-3 victory over Glenbrook North, it was playing in its 75th game of the season. The triumph was the 50th for the Dons against 14 losses and II ties.

Three of those deadlocks came in a bitterly close 1-1-3 series with Glenbrook.

When Notre Dame began hockey five years ago, it had a 12-game schedule. Then Jim Meyer was brought in to guide the Dons' fortunes in 1972-73 and the team won 30 of 44 games. Meyer's clubs have since won 36, 44 and 50 games with last spring's state title the topper to a brilliant success story. Meyer ( 160-65-25) obviously doesn't spend much time in practice as evidenced by his 75-game, NHL-type schedule. He notes that because of the high cost of rink time, it pays to play games as often as possible before the dollars melt away. The cost of his nearly six-monthlong season for the varsity and junior varsity programs (the JVs played 56 games) is $12,000, absorbed mainly by a strong booster club.

Meyer has been accused of spending too much time working on his team's power play and pulling the goalie for a sixth attacker in the late going of close games. But they tied up three games with less than a minute left employing the latter tactic. The Dons were dealt a severe blow in early December last year when senior Mike Schwass suffered a neck injury in a 3-3 tie with Glenbrook North. The team continued

SCORING MACHINE- The highest scoring line in Wisconsin high school hockey annals was from Madison Memorial. Pete Johnson (shooting puck), Mark Johnson (upper left) and Ben Hob/a (behind net), combined for 245 points as the Spartans finished 22-0 in 1976. Memorial set records in every offensive and defensive category.

POROUS DEFENSE-It appears that Bob Charest of the Lewiston, Maine Devils is taking on nearly the entire Brunswick team In the Maine state tournament. Five members of Brunswick's six-man squad could not prevent this goal. Charest, a junior who had 18 goals and 27 assists in 1976, helped the Devils to both the Maine and New England titles this year.

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49 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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Above, South Windsor's Ted Hale (14) digs the puck out of the boards while an East Haven defender pursues in the Connecticut Division II championship game. South Windsor won, 7-0. Right, Memorial's Mike Strassman (10) scores after receiving pass from teammate Mark Johnson (center) as Gary Lippitt looks on during Wisconsin thriller.

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51 PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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A Public Service of This Magazine & The Advertising Council

PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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FIRST OF SEVEN- Bill McCarthy (17) hugs South Windsor, Connecticut teammate Skip Grant after the latter scored the opening goal for the Bobcats against East Haven in Connecticut's Division II state finals.

South Windsor captain Dan Carbonneau (19) and Grant, who was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player, helped rout East Haven, 7-0 for the Bobcats' 20th straight victory in 1976.

was 16-3-4 at the time and Schwass had reel off 20 straight wins, including four in already scored 25 goals and bad 22 assists.

Connecticut's Division II state tournaHowever, the club finished the ment, thereby giving Marcous second remainder of the campaign with 'a 34-11-7 thoughts about leaving. He did depart, mark, but managed only a fourth place anyway, after South Windsor whitestanding in the rugged North Division of washed East Haven, 7-0 in the title game. the Chicago Metropolitan League with l!- Opponents scored only 29 goals against the 13-10-5 record. Notre Dame proved it was Bobcats in 23 games while the champions a tournament team this year by disposing amassed 180. They dumped Masuk, 17-1, of six foes and never falling behind any of Watertown, 6-2 and Norwalk, 4-3 before them in the 26-team, I0-day event. Meyer -reaching the state finals. expected an overtime in the finals against Lewiston, Maine showed it was the Glenbrook North. "Neither one of us lets class of its state and New England as the other get any skating room and we well by winning those two championship always seem to get good goal keeping." tournaments and posting a 26-2 record in This year's championship could_be the the process. Lewiston won its first nine first of many for the Dons who return regular season games before Waterville seven of their top l 0 scorers including the stopped the streak with an 8-4 victory. first three- Don Hitzel (145 points on 66 Then there was another 10-game unbeaten goals and 79 assists), Larry DeSalvo (126 string before Thetford Mines took a 3-1 points) and Chris Vana (107 points). Bill decision from the eventual state champs.

Madura had 72 goals and 122 points for Brunswick was Lewiston's first round the JVs. The key loss will be goaltender victim at state, 10-3. Waterville, a threeMatt Berrafato who played in more than time loser to Lewiston during the season, 60 of his team's games with a 2.85 goals- then fell, 5-l before Brunswick was dropped again, 4-2. In the New England against mark.

South Windsor, Connecticut coach Championships, Lewiston's three Bob Marcous was probably looking ahead opponents managed only four total goals. to a professional hockey player-coach North Country, Vermont lost, 8-2, Bellows offer awaiting him in Denmark at season's Free Academy, Vermont, 10-0 and Berlin, end after his team was beaten in the third New Hampshire, 8-2. game this year by Simsbury, 3-2. The loss Lewiston loses its three top goalers, put his team at 2-1.

Dave Boucher (74 points), Dan Boucher However, the Bobcats proceeded to PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

(65 points) and Ron Dumont (57 points).

Sophomores John Theberge, with 30 goals and 54 points, and James Erskine, and a pair of juniors, Bob Charest and Perry Morneau, are next season's hopes.

Richfield, Minnesota made the 1976 state tournament field in hockey for the first time in 12 years. Previous trips were in 1961, 1963 and 1964. The Spartans finished the year with a 22-4 record under coach Larry Hendrickson. Seniors Steve Christoff (49 points) and Tom Szepanski (45 points) led Richfield in scoring. Jan Lasserud, a junior with 27 points, is the top returning letterman. Goalie GeofHaraway had a 15-3 record with a 1.88 goals-against average. He played 812 minutes allowing only 34 goals.

There is no class structure in the Minnesota state hockey tournament. A total of 124 schools attempt to qualify for the event yearly. Nearly 85,000 fans watch the three-day championships. College coaches and scouts cover the Minnesota high schpols carefully in their talent searches because of the quality youth programs the hockey players have been part of since an early age.

Although there were four Minnesota schools rated in the 1975 hockey rankings and only two in 1976, with the balance of power seemingly shifting eastward, there is still an abundan.t amount of quality teams in the upper midwest. e

53

Skiing

Cloquet Skis To Slim Win Cloquet, Minnesota has made a habit of winning state ski titles in the past 13 years, but its 1976 crown was won by the slimmest of margins.

54

YOU'VE HEARD THE expression, "They have two chances, slim and none." Well, a report out of Cloquet, Minnesota two weeks prior to that state's boys' high school skiing championships last February termed the Lumberjacks' chances of winning their fifth straight title as "mighty slim."

The prediction turned out to be both right and wrong. Cloquet proved the experts wrong by capturing its 12th crown in the last 13 years, but made prophets of them at the same time by grabbing the championship by a slim half point.

Although the number of states holding ski championships is small, it's hard to deny Cloquet the ¡distinction of being named mythical "National Champion."

Minnesota pulled off a double in 1976 with Lincoln High in Bloomington taking the girls' title, and guess who finished a slim one .point back in second place? Cloquet.

Three events, slalom (downhill), crosscountry and jumping comprise a ski meet.

Girls do not jump, so the winner there is determined by the lowest total team score (similar to running cross country) from the other two events. The slalom is run over a pre-measured course through racing gates (poles) for time. The gates are positioned so th.at a skier handles the course through natural rhythm. Speed and skill in negotiating these gates is the key to winning. Fall, and you're eliminated.

The boys travel over a 10-kilometer cross country course and the girls half that distance. Two skiers are sent out at a time.

In addition to technique, maximum speed over the snow comes down to how well

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SOARING JUMPER- It appears that Cloquet jumper Scott Sobczak has just leaped over power line enroute to fourth place in that event at the Minnesota Boys' Skiing Championships. Sobczak, the meet's defending champion in the event, had the two longest jumps, 116 and 114 feet, but fell on landing and had to settle for his fourth place standing.

your skis are waxed (soft wax for wet snow and hard wax for dry snow). A skier's ability to maneuver on the ¡course is directly related to how well his or her skis are waxed.

Cloquet edged Stillwater for the boys' title despite a last place finish in the slalom. Peter Dziuk (third), Chris Medich (13th) and Terry Ziehl (21st) in cross country and Scott Sobczak (fourth) and Jim Baker (fifth) in jumping brought the 'Jacks back to win by the slim margin.

Sobczak had the two longest jumps in the meet, 116 and 114 feet, but the defending champion fell on landing and had to settle for fourth place with 170.5 points. Baker's jumps were 101 and 103 feet for 106.5 points.

Cloquet coach Joe Nowak credited a 13-year-old junior high entrant, Kent Olson, with keeping the Lumberjacks in contention for the state title. Eligibility problems depleted Nowak's slalom squad and junior high racers were called on to PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

compete in both the regional and state meets.

Lincoln • senior Ann Hartwig had a combined time of 64.99 in two runs over the slalom course to win that event. She was two minutes ahead of the second place finisher. Teammate Melissa Bagley was 17th, thus Lincoln was No. 2 as a team behind Stillwater.

In cross country, Lincoln's five entrants finished in the top 10 with Kris Green fifth, Joanne Marne) sixth, Sandy Hero eighth, Julie Craven ninth and Carrie Anderson I Oth. Cloquet's Patrice Jankowski won the race with a time of 18:50 while Terrie Parchem was third in 20:24. Green's time was 20:33.

Mary Villella coaches both boys' and girls' slalom and is the head girls' coach.

Last year her boys' cross country team finished first at state while she was giving birth to a baby. The team presented her with the trophy while she was still hospitalized.

Mrs. Villella credits a good feeder program developed by the U.S. Ski Association for the success of her program. The Lincoln boys' team was third at the state meet, with Brian Strand second in the slalom.

•

LONG GRIND-Peter Dziuk's third place finish in the rugged 10-ki/ometer crosscountry race helped Cloquet, Minnesota rally to capture that state's boys' skiing title.

After finishing last in the slalom, the Lumberjacks showed strength in crosscountry and jumping to take the crown.

STATE CHAMPS- Members of the Bloomington Lincoln, Minnesota girls' ski championship team are (rear), Joanne Mamel, Shari Wilson and Carrie Anderson; (front), Melissa Bagley, Julie Craven, Kris Green and Sandy Hero. Not pictured is Ann Hartwig.

• PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

55

By Frank Kush 1975 NCAA Coach of the Year

Arizona State's Aerial Attack .

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Kush, selected NCAA Coach of the Year by his peers in 1975, holds winning trophy from Fiesta Bowl game with Nebraska. (Scottsdale Progress photo)

IT'S A PLEASURE to be able to talk to you about our passing game at Arizona State University. As many of you know, we have always been a tremendous offensive team. Our concept is to maintain a balance between running and passing. Our passing game is simple, and we are not stereotyped as far as down or distance is concerned, or field position. We will throw from any position oh the field, down or dis. tance.

We must have the ball to win and we try to control it with both passing and running. We average 86 plays per game and try the run 75 percent of the time and pass 25 percent. Statistics released by the NCAA during the last decade showed our accomplishments. We were first in scoring and first in total offense. These figures indicate that we do move the football, and by maintaining control of the ball our wonloss record has been extremely successful, gaining five consecutive bowl victories.

I will attempt to cover our passing game which is simple but diversified. We use multiple formations to give a different look but run the same routes basically.

Our formations are called by the quarterback. For example, Right I91 refers to our tight end when "right" is mentioned, "I" refers to our wingback ("I" means he's right, while "9" means he's left). The second number in this case refers to the series, in this case the 90's. The third riumber refers to the pattern. continued

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Some definitions would be beneficial at this point. We have three series from which our passing games are composed. 1) Series 60 is our drop back passes. The blocking for the line is as follows: our center takes the nose guard or linebacker, and if they are not there he helps out the guards. Our guar\ls and tackles do the same, attack the defensive man and pick up the first man outside. Our halfbacks step forward with their inside foot, pick up the first rusher and form a wall or pocket (diagram No. 1). Our quarterback drops back five steps and releases the ball. The timing between passer and receiver is done with a timing device. We find the distance a receiver can go on five counts, and the QB releases the ball on four counts. This timing factor, if worked on enough, will have the ball to the receiver just as he turns or cuts. Our QB released the ball on a four count on our 60 and 90 series. Receivers run a five count pattern (10 to 14 yards). If the QB says ".quick" when calling a play, both QB and receiver cut the count in half. The QB would have a three step, two count release and the receiver a three count route. We will do this when we receive zone coverage CATCH OF THE YEAR - Sophomore John Jefferson, formerly John Washington of Dallas (Texas) Roosevelt High, latches onto TD catch against rival Arizona in "The Game". Victory landed Sun Devils the 1975 Western Athletic Conference crown and the right to meet Nebraska in Fiesta Bowl V. (Arizona Republic photo)

Arizona State's Aerial Attack

58

Each fall, thousands of tans jam Tempe's tamed butte (right}, high above Sun Devil Stadium to watch the nation's highest scoring football machine. (Tim Koors photo)

continued

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o>K PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

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Arizona State's Aerial Attack in the secondary to hit the seams between the short and deep coverage more effectively.

2) Series 90 is our sprint out passes.

Our blocking to the on-side is very aggressive. The tackle has second man from the outside. The guard has the third man from the outside and the center has the fourth from the outside. Offside guards step inside and pick up outside rush as does the offside tackle. Both backs block outside the tackles (diagram No.2). There are adjustments in this series. When the left halfback, for example, is in the pass pattern, our fullback takes his block. If the QB expects stunts from the defense all he does is say "power" at the end of the play when he calls it in the huddle or at the line (example: Right 191 power). This tells the onside lineman to block the gap, while the fullback blocks outside tackle. The halfback blocks outside the fullback's block.

The offside linemen do our "do-dad" technique, stepping inside and taking any rusher. If none are there, they pick up the outside rush.

3) Series 80 consists of our play action passes. From this series we get our belly, continued

Arizona State's Aerial Attack 3) No. 3 pattern is all post, where the inside receivers release bootleg and halfback passes. The line is aggressive, using the outside (diagram No. 8). Changes from this pattern include R"nutcracker" technique of blocking. This is the technique our Flex 563, where the tight end runs a flag or out. The "five" refers players use on double-team blocks. Both backs fire out on the deto our flexed tight end (diagram No. 8A). Another play using the fensive ends (diagram No. 4). The QB uses a two count release "three pattern" with individual route would be Left 163, TE and steps back with his left foot first, while receivers use a three across (diagram No. 8B). We can also call I 63 or 193 - Quick count route. We use this against zone and sometimes man - to against a zone man coverage defense. when the defenTo get back sive halfback is into the pattern playing way off by calling his the receiver. Our route, the rescreens and maining back draws come off takes his blockall three basic ing assignment. series of passes For example, (60, 80, 90).

Right - 161 LH Let me now up (diagram No. describe our pat9). The tight end terns. We numblocks when ber I, 2, 3 for back away goes simplicity: I) No. into pattern unI pattern has less "flood" is both ends runcalled. Other ning 12 to 14 examples of yards out while backs into patour wingback terns are Rightruns a flag route.

162 LH flat or up From this pat(diagram No. tern we have I 0). Another is changes for two Right - 191 - 3 receivers on the We have developed an acne product that's so fantastic people have to LH flat (diasame side. The try it to believe it. Now, we are ready to give it away-just to prove gram No. 11). receivers switch to you that it works! A major breakthrough in an acne compound, We often routes; the retested and proven. It should arrest your acne problem in 7 days or cross our backs ceivers run oppothe condition may not be acne. Simply mail the coupon today and on our passing site the route, your free 7-day supply will be sent by return mail. If you're not game to hold such as switchconvinced our product works, then we've made the investment this ing from an out the linebackers. time--not you!

Also, we will to an in and from · a flag to a post align in the !(diagram No. 5); formation or a strong set for two receivers on the same side run running and offside ends blocking puropposite route. poses. coupon with 50¢ to help cover postage and Let me now Offside then can handling. Prove it to yourself ... you have run cross, hook run over our nothing to lose but your pimples.This offer or post. If he's a bootleg action. is for a limited time only. smart kid we let The play we call, NAME for example, is him choose which route; if Right - 121 BootADDRESS not, we call it. leg at nine. The "nine" indicates Only on our CITY sprint series will ball will be we let him thrown from the ACNE BJ\N, Dept. 8. choose (diagram left side (dia7428 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046 No.6). gram No. 12).

Individual We will also run If the coupon has been removed, mail 50¢ to cover postage and handling to changes can be the bootleg from ACNE BAN, Dept. 8, 7428 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90046 called by the QB, our belly series such as split end as seen in diacurl, post or gram No. 13. cross with wingback. The individual change for the wingback can The call is Right - 137 Bootleg at one. The fullback will fill for the guard after the fake. be one switch, an in or cross with the end (diagram No. 6A).

2) No. 2 pattern has both ends hook or curl and the wingback Our screens come off all 60, 80, 90 series with blocking the same, except linemen hold three counts, then get the screen. The runs a flat route. An example of this would be Left-I, 162 (diaDraw is run also from all series, like Left 160-1, fullback Draw gram l'lo. 7). Changes from this pattern include switching, all running hook patterns, or any individual route for any individual (diagram No. 14). This is about all we do as far as passing. There receiver (diagram No. 7A). are so many plays we run, I've only mentioned a few.

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PREP I OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 1976

Has more to cheer about Whoops! A little pass interference. But never mind. You're in your colorful, coordinated and very appealing Barry Company cheerleading ensemble. So all's forgiven. Just keep cheering the team on in the attractive style to which they've become accustomed.

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Apr. / May 1977 $1.00

PREP®SPORT

OFFICIAL MAGAZINE FOR AMERICA'S HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETES

Without advertising,youapay a lot more for a lot less.

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Advertisers use these media to increase their sales.

As a result, we've increased our sales. CCC has been profitable every year we've been in business. In 1976 our gross revenues were in excess of $200,000,000 compared to $151,000,000 in 1975.

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3 PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

CONTENTS VOL. 2, NO.4, APRIL-MAY, 1977 COVER STORY Villa Park: Vaulting to the Top

6

FOOTBALL ROUNDUP One Dozen Cheers for Moeller High ............ 10 Nation's Top 20 Teams ........................ 13 Best of the Rest ............................... 24 National Game of the Year ..................... 29 Artesia: The 'Dogs Roll On ..................... 30 National Football Records ...................... 33 TENNIS Five Straight for Cherry Creek .................. 35

30

CROSS COUNTRY All-America Team for 1976 ..................... 38 Nation's Top 20 Teams ........................ 39 Deerfield: America's Best ...................... 42 GIRLS SPORTS Lydia Rountree ................................ 44 Swimming All-Americans ....................... 46 Nation's Top 10 Teams ........................ 47 BASEBALL Trying to Change Tradition ..................... 50 COACHES CORNER Curve Ball Progression

........................ 54

Barry Sollenberger. Editor Rebecca Ford, Editorial Assistant

Editorial Contributors: Steve Guss

Michael Oestreicher David Kukulski

Bob Floyd Alex Gordon Art Johlfs Art Judge Marc Bloom Or. Paul Steingard Editorial and Marketing Associates Don Maynard

Ray Scott Kenneth A. Welch, Publisher Joseph W. Namath, Associate Publisher Barbara Flaxman. PublisherS Assistant

Doug Deuss, Production Manager Ed Choate, Production Assistant Joy Johnston, Production Assistant Tom Wells, Production Assistant Janet Vaught, Production Assistant

Advertising Sales Offices Good Magazines

COVER Villa Park High School In Orange, California, again returns one of the top pole vaulters in the country. Here, senior Jim Sidler, who cleared 15-8 as a ;unior, takes a practice vault at 14-0 in preparation for rugged season against tough California competition. The late Keith Schimmel (page 6) holds school record at 16-3k (Bob Coleman photo)

515 Madison Ave. New York. New York 10022 212-753-6419 Lyle Hurd 333 N Michigan Ave .â&#x20AC;¢ Suite 2712 Ch1cago. II. 60601 312-726-6464 In The West National Prep Sports Network Norm Mack, Arizona Advertising Manager & National Advertismg Coordmator 4 70 7 N. 12th Street Phoenix, Az. 85014 602-248.8900

4

SOLD: at newsstands throughout the U.S.A. Published bimonthly. SIX 11mes per year. Ofloces located al4707 N. 12th Street. Phoenix. Arizona. 85014. Phone (602!

248-8900. Subscription rates: $6.00 per year. Send change of address to NatiOnal Prep Sports, 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona. 85014. Second class postage pa1d at Phoenix, Arizona and Glasgow, Kentucky.

Copyright 1976, National Prep Sports Network. All Rights Reserved.

AUDIT PENDING WITH AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATIONS

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

!

Donated in memory Donald Helgeson Booster Club President 1977-78

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In 1915, Ke1th Sch1mme1 cleared 16-3'. at Orange In June ol 1976, he c*led o11ymphom1c years old

ch1mmers teammate. T1m Vahlstrom, cleare·1 16- 1 at V•fla Pari< n 1915: 17-0·'• at Texas-£/ Paso In 1976. Thelf 1-2 vaultmg punch n h1gh sChool was almost unbeatable.

Villa Park: Vaulting to the Top Keith Schimmel, who died tragically from cancer in 1976, has become an inspiration tor all athletes at Villa Park, which has one of the finest vaulting programs in the U.S.A.

r e name of Jim Sidler isn't exactly a household word in the prep sports world, but his name could be found about halfway down the list of America's top twenty high school pole vaulters for 1976. However, young Mr. Sidler's 15'8" vault makes him one of America's top seniors at the outset of the 1977 season. The seventeenyear-old Sidler has many goals for the upcoming season: make sixteen feet, then perhaps become only the second high school athlete to ever clear seventeen feet (Casey Carrigan at 17'4 3.4" is still the only prep in U.S. history to better seventeen feet). The latter goal may fall into the "dream" category, but more realistic is Jim's goal of breaking the Villa Park High School record. At probably 98 percent of all high schools in America, Jim's 15'8" would be a school record. At Villa Park the school record is 16'3\4".

Villa Park High School, with its 2000 students, is situated against the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange County, California. Having opened its doors in 1964, the school had no reputation in track and field outside the Orange County area during its first ten years. Interestingly when national recognition came, it came primarily in one event: The pole vault.

Followers of high school track throughout the country in 1975 knew the names and accomplishments of Keith Schimmel and Tim Vahlstrom. The top two prep pole vaulters in the nation at the end of the regular season, best marks of 16'3 1;4" and 16'1", top two vaulters in Orange County history, first time that two vaulters from the same school cleared sixteen feet in the same meet, one-two finish in the California state high school meet.

Numerous newspaper and magazine articles were written on the pair, and their honors were many. So when Jim Sidler clears sixteen feet in 1977 and Villa Park becomes the nation's first high school to have three sixteen-foot vaulters, the story will be statistically complete. But there is much more to the story than statistics.

In 1966, the Robert Schimmel and Richard Vahlstrom families both bought homes on Radec Court in Villa Park, next door to each other. Keith and Tim were third-graders at Villa Park Elementary PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

School, just across their back fences.

Several blocks away, the Villa Park High School track team began their first track season with seniors. The pole vault record was just over eleven feet. During the summer of 1969, the boys had completed the sixth grade and got interested in pole vaulting with a bamboo pole into the sawdust high jump pit at the elementary school.

The Villa Park High School record stood at 13'134''.

When Tim and Keith entered junior high school they had their first opportunity to try "real" pole vaulting. As seventh-graders at Cerro Villa Junior High School, Vahlstrom cleared 9'3", while Schimmel got over 8'0". With this modest beginning, a real love affair with the event began. The success story did not develop in a parallel manner, however, as Tim's improvement in the event came sooner. In the eighth grade in 1971, Tim did 11'0", then set an Orange city junior high record of 12'7 3/.1" in 1972.

Meanwhile Keith, in the eighth grade, matched Tim's seventh grade mark of 9'3", then showed himself to be a good high school prospect with a 10'6" clearance in the ninth grade. As they moved over to Villa Park High School in 1973 as sophomores, Keith continued in Tim's shadow. It took Vahlstrom just two meets to raise the school record to 13' 3". He improved to 13'7" before the season was over and won the C.I.F. Masters' Meet, Sophomore Division. Schimmel had a big breakthrough to 13'0" and won his first major victory over Tim as he placed first in the C.I.F. AAAA finals.

Vahlstrom got his first fourteen-foot clearance in the Sunkist Invitational indoor meet in January 1974. Vaulting consistently through the season, Tim negotiated 14'10" in the C.I.F. finals for the best mark of his junior year. He advanced to the state meet at Bakersfield, but failed to qualify for the finals there. Schimmel, meanwhile, didn't get to 14'0" until midApril, then went over 14'3W' at the Crestview League meet. An injury at the C.I.F. final meet ended his season prematurely.

Vaulting in all-comers meets during the summer, Vahlstrom cleared 15'0" unofficially on several occasions.

Since both boys were invited to com-

pete in the Sunkist meet in January 1975, they started early preparations. Vaulting practice took place in the Vahlstrom backyard on the home-made pit that Keith and Tim had put together from scrap foam rubber when in the ninth grade. A longstanding dream came true on January 19 as Keith and Tim went one-two at the Sunkist meet, both clearing 15'0". Keith won on fewer misses, and with that victory he emerged from Vahlstrom's shadow.

In the month of February 1975, it first became apparent that Villa Park was going to have more than "just a couple of good pole vaulters". One day in practice Keith caught fire and cleared 15'7". Then, a few days later, on February 27, a beautiful day, Keith said, "Coach, put the bar up at 16'0", I want to try it." He not only tried it, but sailed over cleanly on his first try. Tim, not to be outdone, also cleared 16'0", although he needed four tries to do it. All this, mind you, a week before the outdoor season was to begin.

Keith vaulted 15'9" in his first outdoor meet, then hit the headlines the next week with a l6'1'/2" performance. In this same meet, Tim went over 15'6" for a new personal record. On April 12 Vahlstrom realized a long-standing goal as he offiLatest vaulting sensation for head coach Bob McKie is senior Jim Sidler, who cleared 15-1, 15-4 and 15-8 during one three-week span in 1976, during his junior year. (Bob Coleman photo)

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Villa Park: cially made 16' I" and Villa Park became the second high school ever to have two sixteen-foot pole vaulters at the same time (the first was Warren High of Downey, California, with Paul Wilson and Bob Steinhoff in 1965). Tim and Keith each cleared sixteen feet on two other occasions, with Keith reaching the top prep mark of the year at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays with his 16'3 1/.i". This meet was televised and the two enjoyed considerable exposure as they were interviewed on television.

The season was climaxed in early June in San Diego as Keith was California state high school champion at 15'6", with Vahlstrom runner-up, clearing the same height.

Interestingly Keith came near not qualifying for the state meet. Catastrophe struck at the Century League Finals in May as Keith experienced what pole vaulters fear most in competition. He "bombed out", failed to clear a height. He needed to place in the top three to continue in C.I.F., Southern Section, competition, leading to the state meet. Only when another vaulter relinquished his qualifying spot did Schimmel get to enter C.I.F. Imagine improving your best mark three feet in your high school career, but ending up not holding the school record.

One might wonder about the feelings of Tim Vahlstrom, after being in the spotlight for several years, suddenly finding himself surpassed by his own teammate.

The answer to this question must include some personal background of the two.

The success that these two athletes enjoyed was not accidental. It was a culmination of six years of dedication, study and intelligent training, plus a strong desire to excel. Both were students of the pole vault, and both realized that the help they got from each other was truly instrumental in their improvement. Their coach will tell you that, in addition to being exceptional athletes, both were regarded as outstanding young men in their personal lives. Derogatory remarks about others were never heard from either of them.

While there was a strong natural rivalry between them, they nevertheless were each proud of the successes enjoyed by the other.

Coach Bob McKie was often asked during and after the 1975 season why Keith Schimmel suddenly surpassed Tim Vahlstrom. One must simply look at the developmental pattern of the two to see that Vahlstrom matured a little earlier and his improvement was gradual and steady from junior high school through high school. Schimmel matured slightly later, then experienced a big breakthrough, improving two feet between his junior and senior years.

Many colleges and universities indicated an interest, naturally, in these two.

Both received athletic scholarships, Tim to the University of Texas, El Paso, and PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Keith to San Jose State. Vahlstrom enjoyed another season of improvement in 1976, clearing 17'0W' and competed with the U.S. junior A.A.U. team in summer meets in Russia, Poland and West Germany. In retrospect now, one cannot help but feel that there must have been some pre-ordained reason for Schimmel's season of glory in 1975. For you see, on June 24, 1976, Keith died of lymphomic cancer at 18 years of age.

Jim Sidler entered Villa Park High School in 1975 as an excellent pole vault prospect in the same mold as Schimmel and Vahlstrom. Although he attended a different junior high school (Peralta), his progress was similar. Because he is such a fine all-around track athlete (hurdles, high jump, triple jump, sprints), Jim competed in other events in the seventh grade, but cleared 8'6" on one of his few attempts at the pole vault. Concentrating more on that event, he quickly improved to 10'6" in the eighth grade and II '9" in the ninth grade.

Jim entered high school with his mind made up to limit himself to just the pole vault. The combination of his obvious talent and the opportunity to train with two sixteen-foot vaulters had its predictable results, and Sidler improved to 13'6" in his sophomore year. Keith and Tim not only helped Jim with his vaulting, but influenced his attitude and maturity, particularly with regard to a short-fused temper, which had a tendency to interfere with his progress.

During the winter previous to the 1976 season, Jim cleared 14'0" several times in all-comers meets and gave an indication of things to come in his junior year when he vaulted 14'6W' in his opening meet in February. Then, in a three-week period in late March, it all came together. He sailed 15' I", 15'4 1/.i" and 15'8" in successive meets. After missing several meets due to an injury, Jim was able to get over 15'0" two more times, but the lack of practice due to the injury clearly affected his progress the remainder of the season, as he failed to qualify for the state meet in C. I. F. competition.

There is no doubt that Jim's work is cut out for him in the 1977 season, but he does hold the junior class record at Villa Park High, having gone a foot higher as a junior than did Schimmel and Vahlstrom. When an athlete has the ability, he must have incentive to stimulate him to reach his potential.

He finds great incentive in the fact that one of his closest friends took a keen interest in his progress. In April and May of 1976, Keith Schimmel spent his last active weeks tutoring Jim in the finer points of vaulting, in hopes that Jim would be able to break that Villa Park school record.

Coach McKie is in his 13th year of coaching at Villa Park High School in Orange. It has been his fifteenth year in the high school coaching field, while 28 years of his life have been spent teaching and coaching youngsters. The success he has had with his students at the vault pit speaks for itself. e

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The

Nation's Top20

Cincinnati Moeller pulverized previously unbeaten Gahanna, 43-5, giving the Crusaders their second consecutive Ohio AAA football championship, their 12th win against no losses-and the mythical national crown.

10 PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Suddenly, Cincinnati has emerged as the mecca of high school football in the United States. College recruiters have known as much for quite awhile and Cincinnati grid fans have quietly sensed it even longer. But the state and national press corps have only taken notice recently, thanks to a school named Moeller High. "l don't think there's ever been another team like them," said Gahanna Lincoln Head Coach Neal Billman, "and l've seen and been connected with a lo< of great teams. More than anyone l've ever seen, they do it all."

Billman was speaking of Cincinnati Moeller, a team which pulverized his previously unbeaten Lions 43-5 at the Rubber Bowl in December, giving the Crusaders their second consecutive Ohio AAA football championship. Playing in one of the best football states in the land, this Moeller team has been billed as one of the greatest in Ohio history; their threemonth display of brilliance convinced many that Coach Gerry Faust had more than just an ordinary high school football team.

"We have a great football team," said Faust after watching his top-ranked club qualify for the state finals with a 48-0 pasting of unbeaten Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, the big school champ before Moeller occupied the state grid throne. "l think it's the best we ever had here and PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

we've had some great ones. The thing that really excites us, is the fact that eight starters return on defense and our underclassmen had a great season."

Their win over Gahanna Lincoln added to a list of romps over powerhouses like Middletown, Cincinnati Princeton, Elder, Roger Bacon and LaSalle during the regular season. lt was enough to convince most Ohio fans of Moeller's dominance, but the Crusaders had to prove it one more time to make it official. They did, and Moeller High is No. I. Perhaps the recent cloudburst of publicity on Cincy prep football is just retribution for its many years of anonymity. Certainly football has enjoyed a rich tradition in Cincinnati. Memories of Roger Staubach, Bron Bacevich and George Ratterman remain fresh in the minds of area residents. Even now, Thanksgiving Day would seem incomplete without the annual ElderWest High game. Despite such noteworthy events and personalities, Cincinnati football remained provincial, unnoticed even by the rest of Ohio.

The roots of tradition were strong and the stories were tall in this area, but unfortunately, the legends grew much taller upstate. Men like Bron Bacevich and his Roger Bacon Spartans were hidden in the shadow of Paul Brown and his nationally-famed Massiilon Tigers. The championship throne, selected each year by the UPl coaches' poll, was customarily

reserved for schools like Massillon and the McKinleys - Canton, Niles and Warren, by name. If a Cincinnati team enjoyed an unbeaten, untied or unscored upon season, the upstate elite might find a place for the foreigner in their "Top Ten". That's might.

However, in 1960, a 28-year-old son of retired Dayton Chaminade coach, Gerald "Fuzzy" Faust, began to nurture his own legend at the new Moeller High School in suburban Montgomery. As one of Brother Lawrence Eveslage's first employees, Gerry Faust, Jr. was given a simple task: Develop a strong athletic program to complement the Moeller curriculum.

"Brother Eveslage and my father were old friends," the younger Faust recalls 16 years later. "When this opening came up, Dad recommended me. I was excited by the challenge of starting my own program."

As things turned out, Brother Eveslage and Moeller High School, not to mention the city of Cincinnati or the state of Ohio, reaped huge dividends from their initial investment in Faust. His 16-year record reads like a litany from Horatio Alger's personal prayerbook: • Went undefeated in his third year of varsity competition.

• Won eight Greater Cincinnati championships in 14 years.

• Coached four undefeated seasons. continued

11

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December was Moeller's 12th this season, and the stars were many. The ringleaders were quarterback Tim Koegel, who was magnificent, and the entire defense led by middle linebacker Bob Crable. After Moeller was stopped on its first possession, Koegel gave notice of what was to come with a 54-yard touchdown bomb to running back Bob Mas·song. The 6-4, 190pound sharpshooter (cover, Oct.-Nov. Prep, 1976) hit on II of 17 passes (with one interception) for 147 yards, a performance which included three touchdown passes, two to split end Dave Condenti for 19 and four yards.

As amazing- as· Koegel was, his offen-sive line was just. as. good. When Lincoln's.

Kevin Rooney broke through to sack Koegel in the backfield in the third quarter, it was only the third time he had been sacked all season. The stadium announcer said it was his first sack, and the Gahanna crowd roared. It was one of the

Faust has now constructed a unique "cradle-to-college" tradition. Even before they step onto the Moeller High School campus, Faust's players know'his system.

They know what it takes to win. Some rivals call him ruthless and underhanded, but those who really understand the Moeller, Ohio, tradition call him "the new Cincinnati legend". His 19]6 varsity team was composed of ~8 seniors, 40 juniors and two sophomores. The juniors have not lost a football game in three years. ."We play two-platoon football," he concludes. "The boys don't play both ways unless it is necessary. They're capable of playing both ways, but we feel we have enough good players to warrant twoplatoon football."

Ohio football - at its best.

• Coached 13 consensus high school All-Americans and 175 college scholarship winners.

• Ohio AAA state champions in 1975 and 1976.

• Career coaching record, in one of the top prep football states in the land, of 12816-2 (.889).

"I agree that the caliber of football in Cincinnati has been underrated for years," says Faust, who was invited to speak at the National Football Clinic in Atlantic City, New Jersey. "That's why I was so happy when the new playoff system was instituted. The playoffs have benefitted our school, the Cincinnati area and the whole W.o would have ever predicted the day state." when a Texas schoolboy quarterfinal game Faust directs all credit for his coachwould almost outdraw the Texas-Arkansas Final 1976 ing ability toward his father. "Dad is my Southwest Conference clash?

National High School idol," he declares without hesitation, "He Well, whoever did would have been Football Rankings taught me everything about coaching .. wrong, but not by very far. The Astro1. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio (12-0) Many people don't realize that he once dome was jammed with 35,500 fans early 2. San Antonio Churchill, Tex. (15-0) won 52 straight' conference-games-before in December to watch defending state 3. Birmingham Mt. Brook, Ala. (14-0) he retired."

AAAA champ Port Neches-Groves sur4. Warner Robins, Ga. (13-0) Moeller coaches describe Faust as vive Spring Branch Memorial, 15-12, in a 5. Hacienda Hgts. Los Altos, Ca. (12-1-1) "energetic, articulate, disciplined, percepreal classic.

6. Pittsburgh Penn Hills, Pa. (13-0) tive, religious and superbly organized."

7. Burbank St. Laurence, II. (13-0) · By contrast, the Texas-Arkansas game 8. Tallahassee Godby, Fla. (14-0) Such qualities would have served him well the following night drew 49,500. Only in 9. Jefferson City, Mo. (13-0) in the business world. "Moeller offers no the state of Texas· could a quarterfinal 10. Temple, Texas (13-1)· athletic scholarships," Faust adds. game draw over 35,000 fans. In fact, three 11. Wilmington Banning, Ca. (12-1) "Students and their parents approach us.

Texas games have drawn more than 12. Beaverton Sunset, Ore. (12-0) We don't recruit them. The rumors which 40,000: the Highland Park-Waco game in 13. Davenport Central, Iowa (12-0) surround programs that win all the time 1945 drew 45,709; the Houston Washing14. Midland Dow, Mich.\11-0) used to bother me. Not anymore. It's all ton-Galveston game of 1968 drew 45,000, 15. Cleveland Bradley Central, Tenn.

(12-0) part of the game." and the Dallas Adams-Richardson clash 16. Snohomish, Washington (13-0) Moeller's success is predicated upon attracted 40,000 in 1967.

17. Groton Fitch, Conn. (11-0) Faust's Spartan code of discipline. All And only in Texas can quality teams 18. Covington, La. (14-0-1) players remain in peak physical. condition like Odessa Permian, Sherman, Houston 19. White Bear Lake, Minn. (12-0) throughout the year. Over half of the team · Kashmere, Lubbock Monterey, Temple 20. Scottsdale Coronado, Az. (13-0) participates in at least one other sport; the and Port Neches-Groves, to name a few, Compiled by National Prep Sports Network, rest go ballet dancing daily to keep in not win a state- championship. There's 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85014 shape during the winter months. "A ballet nothing like it on the globe. After 15 weeks teacher can teach better agility than a footof competition among Texas' 2,000 football coach," insists Faust. "Jack Louiso, a few times it roared all season. ball teams, here are the champions: "Koegel's a great one," said Faust good friend of mine, teaches ballet in the • AAAA - San Antonio Churchill Cincinnati school system. As a favor I after the title game. "But I don't agree that • AAA - Beaumont Hebert asked him to come to Moeller in his spare he makes a good team a great one. Just • AA - Rockdale time. He really knows how to handle kids. look at it. We've got an outstanding offen• A - Barbers Hill Only four players showed up the first year. sive line, three great backs and three great • B- Gorman Now we have 75 players taking ballet receivers. I've never seen a team with this A crowd of . 26,000 witnessed the lessons and more begging to get into the much talent."

AAAA championship game in Austin's He didn't mention the defense, al- Memorial Stadium. Churchill won it all in class. I'm lucky to have Jack as a friend. I feel discipline is very important for young though he later stated that the amazing the Lone Star State's biggest classificakids. We're very close to our kids, but Moeller offense has caused the defense to tion, defeating Temple I 0-0 to finish one of we're tough on discipline at the same be underrated. What it did may be the the toughest championship drives in the time." most impressive of all. It held Lincoln country - if not the toughest. The Like all successful coaches, Faust has speedster Tim O'Cain -who amassed 187 Chargers finished with a perfect 15-0 assembled a dedicated corps of assistants. yards in the semifinals and had over 1300 record. The National Football League The Crusader mentor has a retinue of 13 yards on the season - to just seven yards regular season is 14 games. The grind was coaches ~t his disposal. It is one of the in 16 carries; primarily because O'Cain a long one. largest high school staffs in the country had uninvited company in the backfield Churchil~ plays in the Northeast Indeand larger than those of most. college and almost every time he was handed the ball. pendent School District in San Antonio. professional teams. Faust does not forget "Gahanna Lincoln is a good football The Alamo City school plays all home his players, and has 16 student managers team," said Faust. "They really impressed games at Northeast Stadium in front of to cater to their every need. That is a ratio· me~ In· fact, until our kids made adjust- crowds ranging from 8,000 per game to of one manager for every four Moeller ments, they shut us out for eight minutes."

15,000.

Altogether, Moeller scored 490 points to Coach Jerry Comalander was voted players.

The win over Gahanna Lincoln in their 12 opponents' 40.

Texas High School Coach of the Year by continued PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

13

!!P20 the Texas Sports Writers Association. His Chargers scored 426 points in 15 games, gave up 69, and their five game playoff total of 20 points given up was the lowest by a Texas AAAA team since the adoption of the present five-game playoff series.

The school is less than one dozen years old, and the Chargers have always been competitive in football. In 1973, Churchill finished 11-2 and reached the quarterfinals; 1974, finished 12-1 and reached 12-1 and reached the quarterfinals; 1975, dropped to 9-1; then 15-0 and all the marbles in 1976. In so doing, the Chargers beat Highlands 46-0 in the bi-district, Holmes 40-13 in the regionals, Brazoswood 17-0 in the quarterfinals, then Port NechesGroves and Temple.

Coach Comalander's crew totaled 5265 yards offense (381 0 passing and 1455 rushing), averaging 351 yards per game.

Their opponents, six of which were shutout, could manage only 146.5 yards per game. Leading rushers included fullback Robert Elley ( 1224 yards), halfbacks David Darr (785 yards) and Jimmy Brooks (667 yards), and quarterback Ronnie Nipper (240 yards). Nipper hit 81 of !50 passes for 1249 yards and 19 touchdowns.

He had only four interceptions and connected on 54 percent of his passes.

Tight end Mark Harrelson (6-2, 215) averaged 14.1 yards per catch; split end Mike Smith 19.0 yards per grab. Halfback Darr scored 17 times to lead the Chargers' attack with I 02 points on the scoreboard. And at 5-11, 180, he picked off eight passes in the defensive secondary.

Bryan Philips (6-4, 205) started as an offensive tackle and has played defensive end as well. Highly recruited (like most Churchill stars), Philips landed all-district, all-city and all-state honors. Offensive center Robert "Buzzy" Nelson (6-2, 205) doubled at linebacker and also earned all-district, all-city and all-state recognition.

The Chargers run from a Wing-T attack, moving the backs around to present a multiple alignment. Their attack features lots of traps with options and plays which are run in series. Their passing attack is also a multiple type involving a sprint-out series with many play-action passes off the running attack.

Much of the credit must go to the defense. In the state finals with favored Temple, Churchill held the invaders to 92 yards total offense. In the semifinals with Port Neches-Groves, the Chargers held the previous state champions to only one first down until the middle of the third quarter.

In the quarterfinals, always dangerous Brazoswood was held scoreless.

In Texas the wealth is spread around in all five Classifications, Churchill is from South Texas. Beaumont Hebert, an allblack school which claimed its title two PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

weeks before Churchill, is from Southeast Texas. Barbers Hill, which trimmed defending champion LeLeon 17-8, is from the Upper Gulf Coast. Rockdale, which dumped Childress 23-6, is from Central Texas, and Gorman, which took the Class B trophy, is from Northwest Texas.

Victories by Churchill, Rockdale and Barbers Hill gave those schools their first outright Texas state football title.

Yes, the grind was a long one, and to go 15-0 on the season in Texas AAAA competition, you've got to be tough. This season, San Antonio Churchill was the toughest.

One of the most potent offenses this fall resided in the state of Alabama. Hold your hats, because some of the marks compiled by Coach Rich Rhoades and his Birmingham gridders are not to be believed. The Spartans put together a super campaign, racking up over 5000 yards and averaging 32 points per contest. They concluded their unbeaten season (14-0 in '76, 27 consecutive wins) with a 24-20 decision over Decatur in the semifinals and a 52-26 thrashing of Mobile Murphy in the finals.

All-American fullback Major Ogilvie (see National Prep OctjNov, 1976 issue) was at his best when it counted most. In the title game, he merely rushed for 339 yards and scored four touchdowns. The flashy senior pounded his way for 2560 yards rushing and 30 TO's on the year. Triggering the offense was senior quarterback Richard Burg, who had 1761 yards total offense. Burg also threw for twelve scores; his favorite target was senior flanker Sam Price. Winning a third straight state AAAA crown won't be easy, but this is truly one of the finest prep football programs in the South. The Spartans got a quick taste of glory with an early 38-35 win over highly regarded Montgomery Davis.

From then on it was downhill - or uphill -all the way to the Alabama state throne.

T e South had two high-powered machines in 1976: Birmingham Mountain Brook, Alabama, and explosive Warner Robins, Georgia. The Demons, coached by Robert Davis, landed the Georgia AAA title with a perfect 13-0 record and simply destroyed everybody on the block. Everybody except for Kendrick High (39-26) and Hardaway High (35-28). The rest of the season Warner Robins held nine opponents to one TO or less- recording eight shutouts in the process - including an impressive 34-0 win over Griffin in the AAA title game.

The Demons' defense gave up only 45 yards per game rushing, allowed only one score in three playoff games and picked off 26 passes in the secondary in 13 outings.

They blasted Richmond Academy 42-0 in the quarterfinals and Wayne County 56-0 in the semifinals.

Offensively, Coach Davis watched his unbeaten Georgia champs total 448 yards

The pride of the South, Mountain Brook's Major Ogilvie, flashed his cleats for 2560 yards and 30 touchdowns against tough Alabama AAAA competition.

per game, 48.2 points per game, set a regular season 10-game state scoring record of 482 points and scored 132 points in three state playoff games for an average of 44 points in the so-called "big games". The Demons scored a total of92 touchdowns (a 63-0 win over Carver and a 90-0 win over Jordan toped the list) and during the past two years have treated their loyal gathering of fa11s to over two dozen games which have produced a 42 point average per show.

Running back Robert Brooks (5-11, 175), the Georgia Player of the Year, averaged 9.0 yards per carry for three years, rushed for 4750 yards, 580 more on punt returns, 611 on kickoff returns and 390 on pass receiving for a career total of 633 I yards of real estate. He scored 70 touchdowns in the process.

Linebacker Ronald Simmons (6-2, 220) was the Georgia Lineman of the Year, led the Demons in tackles (142), scored six touchdowns as a tight end and was the state discus champion as a sophomore.

Fullback Jimmy Womack (6-0, 210) rushed for 1436 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. Quarterback Keith Soles (5-11, continued

15

Top20 continued

Coach Robert Davis confers路 on sidelines with co-captain David Kemp during Werner Robins' march through Georgia.

170) attempted I00 passes, completed 65, tossed for 14 'SCoring strikes and 1402 yards and seldom misfired, tossing only four inteFceptions. Split receiver Phil Williams ~6-0, 175) caught 48 passes for 789 y:ards and I0 touchdowns - never dropping a pass in a varsity game.

The secondary stole 26 passes which didn't belong to them, and both ace pass stealers are juniors: Sammy Brown (6-3, 180) and Rusty Smith (6-2, 180). Each intercepted eight.

Like a mythical clash between Ohio state champion Cincinnati Moeller, and Texas AAAA kingpen San Antonio Churchill, the South couldn't find a better classic than a Warner Robins - Birmingham Mountain Brook showdown. 路 The results would be interesting.

16

led the Conquerors to a convincing win over Fontana for the Southern California CIF-AAAA championship at Anaheim Stadium.

"Randy can be compared to both Robbie and Dennis Sproul (1973 Los Altos CIF Player of the Year who now starts for Arizona State)," DeSpain told the Los Angeles Times in December. "He's a lot like Robbie. He's very intelligent and throws well. I think he's one of the top major college prospects in Southern California."

Hertel completed 176 of 275 passes (64%) for 2440 yards and 32 touchdowns, placing him second with Hawthorne's Joe Contestabile on the Southern CIF's alltime list for touchdown passes in a season.

Only Pat Haden (42) of Bishop Amat had more.

According to DeSpain, Hertel has the best corps of receivers the school has ever had in Randy Risser, Bobby Lauder and Mark Williams. Risser caught 49 passes for 717 yards ( 14.6 yards per catch) and II touchdowns; Lauder caught 44 passes for 597 yards ( 13.6 yards per catch) and five scores; Williams caught 20 passes for 353 yards ( 17.6 yards per catch) and four scores.

The surprise of the season for the AAAA champs was the play of minihalfback Matt Aney, listed at 5-6, 140 pounds in the program. He gained 1471 yards on 206 carries for a 1.02 yard average. ~路He's a lot like Binky Benton (former Los Altos All-CIF back), who everyone said was too small and is now starting at San Diego State," DeSpain said. "He's not as strong, but he's shifty and has excellent balance."

Fontana's appearance in the AAAA playoffs was surprising, as the Steelers were shut out three times during tme regular season: 13-0 by a good West Covina club, 30-0 by Muir and 13-0 by Eisenhower. But in the playoffs they beat two of the top CIF clubs, second-seeded South

Hills, 20-6, and Fountain Valley, 14-10.

This marked the fifth season in the past six that a Sierra League team reached the Southern CIF finals. In 1974, South Hills won the title; in 1973, Los Altos won the crown; in 1972, Los Altos won the championship and, in 1971, West Covina lost to Kennedy for all the glory.

As a team in 1976, Los Altos outscored their opponents 434 points to 124 (31.0 to 8.5), rushed for 2801 yards, passed for 2533 and kept their opponents pinned deep in their own territory all season with Andy Ayala's 43.4 punting average on 35 boots. Only three touchdowns were scored on their defense all season in both the second and third quarters.

California, the largest state in the Union, was loaded as usual with top-notch clubs and quality players. Banning High of Wilmington finished 12-1 on the season and produced running back Freeman McNeil. All McNeil did in 13 games was score 27 touchdowns and 162 points. Many California prep fans felt Banning could have given Los Altos all they could handle.

Nobody will ever know.

Ron Cuccia of L.A. Wilson passed for 3246 yards in 13 games, 2406 in nine regular season battles. He was responsible for 54 touchdowns and 4360 total yards, while at Lake Arrowhead, wide receiver Greg Ward from Rin of the World High School latched onto 1207 passing yardage in 13 games. Three pass catchers, Jeff Roux of Moraga Campolindo, Luke Palmo of Fresno San Joaquin Memorial and Steve Hund of Grass Valley Nevada Union all caught over 50 passes. Hund led with 59, while both Roux and Palmo grabbed 53.

Roux caught 14 TD passes.

All pretty big performances from Los Altos' QB Randy Hertel hands off to A/1CIF running back Matt Aney (32), as A/1-CIF tackle Larry Ravera (79) leads the way.

Hertel passed for 2440 yards during 12-1-1 season in Southern California's toughest league.

Lo!i Altos High football coach Dwayne DeSpain was asked路during the season what he would do when there are no more Hertels playing for the Conquerors. 'Til retire," he joked.

His response was an indication of how important the Hertel family has been to L9s Altos football in Hacienda Heighls, California. First there was Rob, who helped lead USC into the Rose Bowl on New Year's, 1977. In 1972, he led Los Altos to the prestigious CIF-AAA championship and was Player of the Year: In 1974, Rich Hertel quarterbacked the Conquerors to a share of the Sierra League championship and into the CIF-AAAA quarterfinals.

In 1975 Ron Hertel, a starting wide receiver, was instrumental in the Conquerors making the playoffs.

Now the final Hertel, Randy, has quarterbacked Los Altos to an impressive 12-1-1 record and the No.5 .ranking in the U.S.A. The Hertel era ended when Randy PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

players in the biggest state in the land. the semifinals. Then came their thriller game. Defensively, four opponents were Although schools like Banning and Los with Glenbard West. Four of Illinois' five held scoreless; ·JJ were held to one TD or state champions ended their season unde- less.

Altos gained most of the national attention, California was blessed ·with many feated, and .although ·4A champion. Joliet.

Winning ·is nothing new to this proud · Catholic lost only once, they also insured more quality teams. Central Coast SecMissouri football school. The Jays estabthemselves ofa very enjoyable off-season, tion cha.mpion Saratoga ( 13"0) wound up lished their famous national record of 71 along with I A Hampshire, 2A Fulton, 3A games in a row without defeat from 19S8 in the third spot in the final California AAAA football ratings compiled by Cal- -Ge.neso and SA St. .Laurence. through the. fifth game of the 1966 season.

Hi Sports of San Francisco. Saratoga Their record streak lasted until 197S, when Hudson, Michigan, a small Class C school beat Leland 17-3 for the CCS title before 14,000 fans - the largest crowd ever to · with ·big credentials, won 72 in a row. watch a high school football game in CCS · . hen playofr."time: rolled around :in before falling in the 197S Michigan state history. Even the smaller AAA ·schools Florida this fall, Tallahassee Godby title game. Jefferson City's .record in the past 19 years reads 169 wins, 16 losses and . were tough. Sanger ( 12-1 ), Santa Rosa stepped forward to ·claim ·the Afli.'A.A" Cardinal Newman •( 12-0)~ Temple· City crown. After breezing past ten .straight two ties. ( 12-2), L.A. Wilson ( 13-0), Villa Park ( 12- regular season opponents, the Godby outSenior halfback Barry Bryson: broke · 2) and . South Pasadena (12-1) all are fit whitewashed Pensacola Tate 21-0 and the I 000 yard mark in the state chamquality clubs. then bested Jacksonville Jackson 17-14 in. pionship game.in December to post a total Quarterback Tony Lopez of Cardinal a well-played contest. .The· semifinals proof 1091, an average of7.4 y.ards per carry.

Newman led his team to an unbeaten duced another victory (21-0 over Merritt AII"State.. fullback Keith Wilson, only a season; the sa·nta Rosa parochial school Island) for the classy Tallahassee· club, junior, rated right behind .Bryson, gaining. has won its last 46 games in a row- one who downed Miami Carol City 21-14 for· S.l yards per.carry, 741 yards·on 146 short of the state record shared by St. the title. The champs outscored their rivals carries. All.of the. Jay backfield regulars, Helena and Temple City. Lopez, a wide re- by about 30 points per game, while allowincluding quaiterback Dan McDaniel, avceiver last year, passed for 1287 yards this ing only one first period touchdown all · eraged fiVe yards per carry or more during season and ran for 1182, with a 10 yard-per year. Coach Gerald Culbreth's offensive the season. carry average. He also did the club's unit generally dominated the proceedings Senior linebacker Mark Abernathy; a· in '76; they accumulated over ·SIOO yards kicking and was its best defensive player. unanimous all-state pick, was in on 162 in total offense .. This powerful, versatile· tackles, including 7S solo stops and 87 team certainly left' its mark. · assists. Greg Allen ranked right behind, as the junior outside linebacker totaled 64 · Illinois, the wire services had the St. stops and 70 assists for. 134 grabs.

The SWAT defense sacked enemy Laurence Vikings from Burbank rated No. I going into the Class SA (large school) Easily rated 'the top sports story in quarterbacks 36 times, . with end Tim finals. The Hilltoppers from · Glenbard Missouri was Jefferson City's 13"0 footHayden recording nine stops a_nd tack_Jes West were not far behind, and when the SA ball team and their walkaway win in the Bob Hyder and Curt Braun m on· five · title game was over they were as close as AAAA state championship game. decks each. Barry Bryson led the Jay one could be, ·but still finish second in a 22The Jays SWAT defense limited 13 defenders in interceptions with seven, .Kirk 21 loss in overtime. foes to just 149.87 yards per game in total Obermiller added four and .Keith Wilson The thrilling "big school" title game offense, while the Red and Black offensive snared three enemy ·passes. capped the 1976 Illinois tournament, unit rolled up an average of. 30S.3 per Mike Belcher, at.the.other end spot, re· played in bad weather .but still bringing a it wasn't senior halfback Barry Bryson leaping over fallen Missouri foes. it was junior ful!true state champion to the top of the If back Keith Wilson. Both averaged over five yards per carry as Jays downed St. Lows ladder from.Ciass SA schools on down to Sumner 33-6 in- state title game. Jefferson City won 71 ·consecutive games from 1958 lA. Despite the weather the playoffs were through fifth game of 1966 season. a thrilling experience for Illinois football fans. As Gordy Gillespie of Joliet Catholic (4A winner after a 16-8 win over Danville) said, "The state tournament is· the greatest- thing that ever happened to high school football in Illinois."

St. Laurence wrapped up a perfect 13-0 season and became · the first Chicago Catholic League team to claim the "official" SA title.

Glenbard West scored all of their points as a direct result of St. Laurence. fumbles. Chuck Burau accounted for nine points, three on a 23 yard field goal following a recovered fumble, and six points on a 67-yard run with a fumble recovery. After a IS-IS deadlock in regulation play, West scored on a two-yard burst by John Odon, who was then nailed for a loss during the 'Toppers' unsuccessful two-point play.

St. Laurence scored on their second OT play, a seven yard dash by Ernie Wulf.

Matt Oskielunas' PAT was straight as an arrow and the Burbank school was in the record books.

The new Illinois SA champs held their first three playoff opponents scoreless, : beating Glenbrook North in the opening round 9-0, Willowbrook 22-0 in the quarterfinals and New Trier East 21-0 in

w

In

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

17

Top20 continued covered three fumbles to lead the Jay team, while Braun, Rod Burnett and Dave Winget (filling in for Hyder and Farrell Roundtree early in the year) each recovered two fumbles. The Jays blocked one field goal attempt and three extra-point tries during the year. George Sitterly blocked three punts for a team which records an amazing eight on the season.

The road to the Missouri AAAA title was rocky at times. The Jay's beat powerful Kansas City Rockhurst 12-3 in the first round, and Columbia Hickman 7-6 in the second round before catching fire in the finals and burying St. Louis Sumner, 33-6.

Another strong contender for national honors was Beaverton Sunset, Oregon, an explosive outfit which strung together 17 consecutive wins and two state championships. Tlie '76 Apollos featured a super passing attack headed by senior quarterback Bob· Fronk (6-4, 180) and senior flanker Scott Tiesing (6-6, 200). Fronk connected on two of every three passes he threw and finished with 1522 yards and 15 TO's. Meanwhile, Tiesing latched onto 62 passes for 1285 yards and 13 TO's. Other stalwarts for Coach Don Matthews were junior fullback Larry Van Pelt (1470 yds., 118 pts.). senior halfback Jon Knudsen ( 1160 .yds.). senior linebacker Paul Van Pelt and senior linebacker Don Fox. Each of these performers earned all-state recognition. Sunset averaged nearly 430 yards per game, while scoring at a 38.3 Clip, and topped. Forest Grove by a 14-7 count in the title showdown.

-Like father, like son: .Davenport Central, coached by Jim Fox, is in the playoffs. ancf so is D<lvenport Assumption, coached by son Jim Fox Jr, At left, father-son combination meet on sidelines before first game, won by Central 22-21, then leave the field together after AAAA playoff game, won again by Central- this time 35-21. "Dad, I'll get you one of these days."

(Larry Fisher photo)

time the older Fox prevailed as Davenport nminating the Iowa football scene won, 35-21. this fall was Davenport Central. The Blue Next came Cedar Rapids Jefferson Devils hardly broke stride on their way to which. fell 37-14, and,.although West Des ·the state AAAA crown, after concluding a Moines Dowling put up a great battle, _regular season that featured nine easy wins Coach Fox and his crew weren't to be and one heartstopper, a 22-21 decision denied. The scoreboard read 15-12. No one over Davenport Assumption. had handled the Blue Devils.

The Centra!i-Assumption battle · was Jim Fox Jr. played quarterback for his one of the most. interesting played by any dad at Central High in 1965, 1966 and ranked team in the U.S.A. Coach Jim Fox 1967. He attended William & Mary and his Blue Dewils had their hands full in College and coached as an.assistant at Des this contest, as the Assumption head Moines Dowling and Moline, [llinois, becoach, Jim Fox Jr., is the son of the older fore being named head .coach at AssumpJim Fox. Davenport's first playoff oppo- tion two years ago. At lhis rate, the nent after nine consecutive wins was fami- . youl)ger Fox could someday soon end up lar and dangerous Assumption, again. This on top ofthe Iowa AAAA football throne.

Precision and quickness made the Beaverton Sunset backfield the best in Oregon prep football. Here, all-state QB Bob Fronk hands off to junior all-state fullback Larry Van Pelt who rushed for 1470 yards in 12 games. (Oregon .Journal photo by Dana Olsen)

18

Rising to the occasion - and above an opponent - is All-Oregon wide- receiver Scott Tiesing who accumulated 62 receptions during 12-0 trip to the finals, 1285 yards and 13 touchdowns.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Top20 continued

1/..;;::,;J

I;

With great teams like Flint Southwestern omitted from the playoffs, the football finals in Michigan became clouded. But here's one great club which made it all the way, Midland Dow, rating their team after Class A championship win over Farmington Harrison, :34-27.

At left, Coach AI Quick watches extra: point try during state. championship game.

A

run oriented squad from Midland Dow put on quite a show for Michigan prep football fans. They whipped eleven straight foes. on the road to the state A prize, although their triumphs over Lincoln Park (34-27) in the semifinals and Farmington Harrison (36-27) in the finals were tight struggles. All-American halfback Scott Alexander (5-I 0, I 80) was the big gun all year long. He totaled 1835 yards and 22 scores for the '76 campaign.

Other Charger standouts were senior quarterback Kevin Northrup (6-2, 185) and senior halfback Dan Clark (5-10, 165).

Dow jumped on most of their rivals from the opening kickoff, as Coach AI Quick's outfit won the first quarter by an 89-14 count this fall. No one came back to beat them.

rce

Washington AAA shootout was billed as a dual between Snohomish's stellar defense and the super passing combination of Federal Way QB Keith Simons to wide receiver Don Curley. The defense prevailed.

Led by quarterback Greg Trumbull PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

and All-American tackle (6-6, 255) Curt Marsh, Snohomish High and head coach Dick Armstrong produced ·a stat,e winner the State of Washington can be proud of.

Throughout the campaign, only two schools (Marysville-Pilchuck and Woodway) managed to score more than two touchdowns against the champs. Only four other clubs managed to get on the scoreboard; seven were shutout, including both Ingraham and Gonzaga in the playoffs.

Big Curt Marsh, one of lhe best line prospects in the U.S.A., wasn't. alone.

Senior Jim Potter managed to grab II pass interceptions in the last two years, eight this season, while teammate Greg VandeCasteele pounced on five enemy fumbles.

Running back Chris Utt scored 20 touchdowns and kicked 20 extra point~ for 140 points, giving him a career scoring record of 239. He totaled 1703 yards in this his senior year, including 16 games over I00.

Snohomish doesn't put the ball in the air very often (Greg Trumbull passed for 839 yards), but neither do their opponents -successfully. Armstrong's latest edition allowed only a 27.8 percent completion record,. lowest since the 1975 club allowed 31.1. But nevertheless, Trumbull hit on 52.5 percent of his passes giving the state champs a balanced attack which was tough to defend.

Both Federal Way performers were named to the all-state team, with QB

Simons receiving .an additional accolade as Washington's Back of the Year. He reportedly set AAA playoff records for total offense, passing yardage and passes attempted and completed in a single playoff game. Teammate Curley set AAA playoff records for total receptions and most receptions in a single game. He caught 76 passes for I 015 yards. That total is 10 more than anyone in the NFL caught in 1976, and the Eagles played one· less game ( 13) than the regular NFL schedule.

They may have :~.massed even greater stats had they not also boasted a 1200 yard rusher in halfback Darryl Bell.

Two I 000-yard rushers carried Fitch High of Groton to the top spot in Connecticut. The Falcons fielded a fine overall squad headed by runners Joe Addison (1664 yds., 26 TO's) and Rick Hauser (1313 yds., 16 TO's). Linebacker Bill Borden (5-11, 230) and guard Mike Penrose (6-0, 21 0) were other all-staters for the undefeated ( 11-0) Fitch footballers. The Falcons crunched their enemies for 4470 total yards and 449 points. Their stingy defensive troops also posted three shutouts.

Fitch capped their outstanding year with a convincing 29-7 triumph over Trumbull after clobbering New· London 60-18 the contilfued week fuefore.

19

This is what they call "a hole"! Stellar halfback Joe Addison, of highly regarded Groton Fitch High, blows throu_gh gaping hole on way to unbeaten (11-0) season against tough Connecticut foes. Addison rushed tor 1664 yards and scored 26 TDs for the Falcons.

E r the first time in their 51-year history, Covington reigns as the state AAAA champions in Louisiana. They accomplished that feat by downing Baton Rouge Istrouma 14-7 in the finals. Despite a brilliant regular season which included seven shutouts, the Fighting Lions nearly bowed out of the playoffs at the regional level when H.L. Bourgeois battled them to a 14-14 standoff. Covington was awarded the victory because they had registered more first downs in the contest. So the '75 runnerups moved up a notch under the leadership of Coach Jack Salter, who was named the state's top coach for the second year in a row. Noseguard Kyle Bruhl (6-0, 23S) and end Trip Holloway (6-3, 210) landed all-state honors, while senior tailback Frank Walker (5-10, 165) rambled for 1298 yards and 20 touchdowns. The defense-minded Lions (14-0-1) permitted their rivals only 5.2 points per game, a figure which helped them continue their current 33-game regular season winning streak. Covington gave their backers what they wanted ... and more.

~t

T e senior-dominated squad White Bear Lake put it all together in '76 to capture the top prize in Minnesota. Allstaters Jeff Dufresne (TB) and Tom Peters (DT) were outstanding in leading the team to a perfect 12-0 campaign. Dufresne galloped for I 115 yards, while Peters anchored a defense that allowed an average of just one touchdown per game. Other key performers for Coach Fred Konrath PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

All-state halfback Jeff Dufresne (23) rush.ed for more than 1000 yards for Minnesota state champion White Bear Lake. Here he scores against Cloquet in state otitle game, while Coach Mal Scanlan of St. Paul Johnson (left), Ken Konrath of White Bear (right) and assistant Dick GFochowski confer on sidelines before semifinal game.

were seniors Pat Cartier (T), Steve Cartier (LB), Dave Dornfeld (DB), ken Jensen (MG), Paul Jim (G), John Rukavina (QB) and Jeff Summers {DB). Junior fullback Chuck Lowell (810 yds.) got the tough yards for the high-flying offense. This club had no problems with Columbia Heights (28-6) and St. Paul Johnson (28-8) in the early playoff games, but had to battle Cloquet down to the wire (14-13) in the finals before claiming the coveted crown. continued

- -J

21

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The

Nation's Top20

Best Of The Rest

By David Kukulski

There were so many state champs crowned and so many outstanding teams, it would take a 500-page annual to cover them equally well. Many who failed to make National Prep's Top 20 probably should have, while the state champion of Nevada might have been stronger than Cincinnati Moeller. Whatever the case, those in the Top 20 were definitely quality teams, well coached, well drilled and stocked with talent. Here is a short rundown of several additional top-notch clubs who probably should have been featured in oorThpiD -

Falls (9-1-1), Cheltenham (10-1), Plum (Il-l) and Baldwin (9-1-1 ).

Walpole ( 10-1) bounced back from a disappointing early season 9-6 loss to Braintree to put together a seven-game winning streak and claim both the Massachusetts Bay State League and Divisions I Super Bowl titles. The rebels overwhelmed their foes by a 260-47 count, including a 26-6 triumph over Newton North in the finals. Coach John Lee had some quality performers in running· backs Terrence Jones (167 yds. versus Newton North), Mike Flynn and Coleman Nee. Other stalwarts were Rob Cuomo (DE), ensylvania, without a doubt, is one Tom Gravina (QB), Dan Petrie (T) and of the top five high school football states in· guard Scott Farnell (T).

America. Gone is the classic "Big 33" . New Jersey is another top-notch footclash with the Texas All-Stars, but the Keystone state is still a breeding ground ball state. According to final Top I 0 for exceptional football talent. (Not bad in rankings by the Newark Star-Ledger, basketball either, producing two of the na- Seton Hall ( 11-0) was the best of the lot in tion's top teams for 1977 in West Philadel- this eastern region. But what about New phia and Pittsburgh Brashear.) This year Providence? Ted Blackwell, a· 190-pound Pit~sburgh produced the No. 6 team in the senior halfback on the 11-0 New Provi-

was, top schools In the Northeast appeared to be Penn Hills, Fitch of Groton, Connecticut and unbeaten (11-0) Seaton Hall.

Coach Tony Verducci again fielded one of the best defenses in the East at Seton Hall in South Orange, New Jersey. Their '76 season included eight shutouts and a grand total of only 36 points by the opposition all year. Seton Hall held every one of their eleven victims to under 85 yards rushing, while the offensive high for the opposition was 101 total yards by West New York St. Joseph in the title game. The champs recorded another whitewash in that contest, giving Coach Verducci his sixth Parochial Class A championship. His teams for the last two decades have given up an average of just 8.6 points per game, and that kind of defense has led to a lot of victories. Meanwhile his offense this fall wa~ gaining a respectable 2700 yards.

Only two midseason ties kept Hampton Bethel from a perfect season in '76. But not too many tears have been shed about those two stalemates. After all, this outfit did bump their way past each of their other twelve opponents to nail down the AAA prize in· Virginia. In fact, Coach Dennis Kozlowski saw his squad outscore the enemies by a 305-110 count. Bethel did so well mainly because their ball-control offense accounted for over 4000 yards and

~0

//

___....--

·e~·~.- ~~-~···~·~--"-·---~----------~

___________-/__/_/__ . ...

The papers have called him "football's answer to Koiak." Call him what they want, his team was awesome during a 26-6 win over Newton North before 10,500 shivering spectators at Boston College Stadium. Here, Coach John Lee calls "time" after Walpole defense (right) buries foe.

24

U.S.A., Penn Hills, a devastating club which steamrolled through Pennsylvania foes on way to a perfect 13-0 season.

According to the Harrisburg Evening News, Penn Hills led this proud fc;>otball state at season's end, followed by Radnor ( 10-0), Whitehall (I 0-0), Norristown (I 00), Butler (9-1-1 ), Warren (11-0), Beaver

dence club, broke the New Jersey prep scoring record with 254 points on 37 touchdowns and 16 conversions. He rushed for 2100 yards on 262 carries to become another member of a long list of American schoolboy· prepsters who have galloped over the 2000-yard marker during a single season. But as good as Blackwell's team

their defense was steady and dependable.

Top gridders were linebacker Reuben Turner (5-11, 188), guard Chris Heier (6-2, 189), tackle Bernie West (5-9, 210) and defensive end John Sturdivant (6-5, 219).

All were seniors. Junior defensive back Benjamin Johnson (6-1, 182) was a real stalwart. This club captured the title b.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

scooting past Falls Church 21-6 in the finals, but their most crucial test came in the semifinals where they outlasted>Highland Springs 18-14.

Five all-staters led Parkersburg to the West Virginia state football championship. The best of the lot appears to be senior tackle Dave Phillips (6-5, 230), who has received numerous all-state and AllAmerican honors. Other quality performers for Coach Daniel James were tackle George Elliott, quarterback Dave Manzo, middle guard Larry Phillips and linebacker Dennis Rexroad. This crew finished with a 10-2 record, but they were absolutely awesome when they had to be.

In the state semifinals, Parkersburg knocked off top-ranked Martinsburg (I 00) by a 38-0 score. Then they blanked DuPont .(30-0) .in the finals. In fact, none of their last four opponents scored at all.

Coach Jim Dougherty led the Lloyd High Juggernauts of Erlanger to an undefeated season in the Northern Kentucky Athletic Association and the Kentucky AAA championship. The Juggernauts

defeated Whitley County 42-6 to snare the district crown, spanked Belfry 26-6 to win the regional title and blanked Shelby County 24-0 in late November-to win their first state crown since 1965.

"We knew we -had a good nucleus coming back from last season," said Dougherty after the season. "During camp in August we set three goals: Win the district. Win the regional. Win the state.

Some people said that was a lot to ask, but we figured if we stayed healthy and got a few breaks, we could win it all."

After grinding out a rugged 26-6 win over Belfry in the semifinals, the Lloyd gridmen moved into the stadium at the University of Kentucky for a noon showdown with Shelby County. About 11,000 persons bought tickets for the game, and what they saw was an awesome display of offense as well as defense. The Juggernauts headed into the locker room at half-_ time with a 21-0 score after a 25-yard interception by Steve Hahlen and a SOyard pickoff by Bob Mullins set up -a pair of early touchdowns. Freshman Kim Pumphrey kicked a 26-yard field goal late

in the second half to give Lloyd their 24-0 victory.

Capturing the first playoffs-in Wisconsin history and claiming the state AA crown was Antigo, a modest offensiveoclub but a demon on defense. This outfit yielded an average of only about 120 yards per game to the opposition. Coach Gordon Schofield. (107-14-2 at Antigo) saw his team run through eleven regular season foes before exploding against Milwaukee Madison in the first round of the playoffs for a 36-16 verdict. They completed their unblemished season with a 6-0 victory over Racine Horlick in the title game. Top individual stars were fullback- Pat Bradley (792 yds:, 12 TO's) and quarterback Dan Thorpe. The defensive unit that permitted just 51 points all year was the key.

It is extremely rare .for a coach to win the state championship in his first year at the helm, but that's exactly what happened to Merrillville Coach Ken. Haupt. His Pirates stomped through the Indiana state AAA playoffs and rewarded their new continued

From 1955 to 1976, Seton Hall Prep has allowed New Jersey foes an average of only 8.6 points per game, and during that span won the Parochial Class A championship six times. This season was no different, and below are three good reasons: Coach Tony Verducci (left). junior QB Mike Ragan and line coach Vincent Aulici. Seton Hall finished 11-0 with eight shutouts and had six interceptions in title game with St. Joe's of West New York, N.J:

ri

~I

/

r -

PREP I

Poll War Whoever thinks United Press International and the Associated Press are the only two organizations that rank teams throughout the country hasn't been following the high school sports scene for very long.

One-man organizations have been honoring the top schoolboyleams in this country for years, and the 1976-77 season will be no different. A look through the records shows that as far back as 1930, the mythical national football championship went to Phoenix Union, Arizona, an organization the late Knute Rockne of Notre Dame fame called, ''the best high school sports program we .had ever seen".

All Phoenix ·union did was beat the University of Arizona Frosh, the best team in Southern California (San Diego High), the best team in Colorado (Ft.

The King of Georgia, Warner Robins High, is on the move. Here QB Keith Soles hands off to ·running back James Brooks, who managed to run for 4750 yards in three ·years and score 70 touchdowns.

NATION'S TOP 20

26

By Art Johlfs Minneapolis, Minnesota 1. CO-CHAMPS: Warner .Robins, Ga. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio 2. Burbank St. Laurence, Ill. 3. Mountain Brook, Alabama 4. Pittsburgh Penn Hills, Pa. 5. Hacienda Hgts. Los Altos, Ca. 6. San Antonio Churchill, Texas 7. Midland Dow, Michigan 8. ·Antigo, Wisconsin 9. Tallahassee Godby, Florida 10. Groton Fitch, Conn.

11. Hampton Bethel, Virginia 12. Rush-Henrietta, New York 13. Jefferson City, Missouri 14 .. Walpole, Massachusetts 15. Snohomish, Washington 16. South Orange Seton Hall, N.J. 17. White Bear Lake, Minnesota 18. Davenport Central, Iowa 19. Bradley Central, Tennessee 20. Los Angeles Banning, Calif.

Collins), the best team in West Texas (EI Paso High), the best team in New Mexico. (Aibuguerque) and the second best team in Arizona (Mesa). Never before has a high school team managed to beat .the best from five different regions during a 13-0 season.

A look through the records shows that Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was declared mythical national football champion in 1958, starting Tennessee on its way to· future national glory on the schoolboy level, as teams like Bristol and Tennessee High later landed similar honors.

For over 20 years, men like Art Johlfs of the National Sports News Service in ·Minneapolis, Minnesota, have been honoring the country's top teams in both football and basketball. It is only re<>ently that Johlfs has added ·girls basketball and hockey to his rankings.

Throughout the years, Johlfs has given schools like Coral Gables, Florida; Massillon, Ohio; Valdosta, Georgia; Los Angeles. Loyola, California; and Austin Reagan, Texas, to name a few, the top

bill, and this season he gives the honor to both Cincinnati Moeller and Warner Robins, Georgia. "It's impossible to determine a true national champion in high school football," says Johlfs from his new home in Edina. "What the heck, they can't even agree on a true college football champion, much less high school. But it's .a great hobby which I really enjoy."

Art Judge of Cypress, California, is another high school fan who selected National Prep's pre-season All-America teams (Prep, October-November, '1976) and adds his SWEET 33 chart to the list at season's end. "I was never real big on picking top teams after the season was over," insists Judge. "But the rankings mean a great deal to many people. Some really take it seriously. I was told that the mayor, or somebody, in Warner Robins declared the day a holiday when it was learned that Johlfs picked them as conational champions for 1976 with Cincinnati Moeller."

While Johlfs often favors the South,

Judge traditionally sticks with teams from heavily populated football states like California, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Illinois. Whatever, both Johlfs and Judge- and National Prep- agree on one thing: Moeller High belongs on top in 1976, whether it be alone or as cochamps.

Although competition week-afterweek is probably below tha~ played by such Texas or California schools as San Antonio Churchill or Los Altos, you SWEET 33

By Art Judge Cypress, California 1. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio 2. San Antonio Churchill, Tx. 3. Los Angeles Banning, Calif.

4. Burbank St. :Laurence, Ill. 5. Warner Robins, Georgia 6. Mountain Brook, Alabama 7. Flint Southwestern, Mich.

8. Jefferson City, Missouri 9. Beaverton Sunset, Oregon 10. Whitehall, Pennsylvania 11. Covington, Louisiana _ 12. Wichita Kapuan Mt. Carmel, Kansas 13. Hacienda Hgts. Los Altos, Calif.

14. Del City, Oklahoma 15. High Point Andrews, N.C. 16. Arvada, Colorado 17. Temple, Texas 18. Scottsdale Coronado, Arizona 19. L.l. Farmingdale, New York 20. Greenwood, South Carolina 21. Snohomish, Washington 22. Camden, New Jersey 23. Bradley Central, Tennessee 24. Lincoln Southeast, Nebraska 25. Walpole, Massachusetts 26. Tallahassee Godby, Florida 27. Hampton Bethel, Virginia 28. Beaumont Hebert, Texas 29. Las Vegas Western, Nevada 30. Midland Dow, Michigan 31. Sanger, California 32. Cincinnati Princeton, Ohio 33. TIE: Antigo, Wisconsin Groton Fitch, Conn. can't deny the fact that Warner Robins was an undefeated state champ in a football-crazy state which "gets after it on the gridiron". General Sherman would have been proud of the way the Demons maTched through Georgia, averaging 448 yards per game (48.2 points) and scoring 132 points in three playoff games to their opponents' six.

•

Everybody seems to agree on one thing: Moeller High is No. 1 in Cincinnati, the state of Ohio and the U.S.A.

Best

continued

coach with quite a gift ... the championship trophy. Haupt had previously served eight years. as the head man at Cincinnati Elder, which is in the same conference as mythical national champion, Cincinnati Moeller. Although Merrillville dropped a 21-14 decision to Valparaiso during the regular season, the Pirates gained revenge for that loss by pulling off a 35-14 upset against Valparaiso in the first round of the playoffs. Then they blanked South Bend St. Joe 21-0 before outlasting Indianapolis Cathedral 28-24 for the title. Triggering the offense was senior quarterback Jeff Parker, who compiled over 1000 yards total offense. Other standouts were Randy Shuman, Woody Melcher, Kelly Keough, Larry Tharp and Tim Seneff. Junior Tom Szmagaj (737 yds.) enjoyed a fine rushing campaign.

Top prep team in the football-rich state of Oklahoma was Del City, the '76 big school champs. They outdistanced their rivals by over twenty markers a game (27.6 to 7.2). A strong ground attack provided the necessary spark, a spark ignited by Steve Hammond. The senior speedster sprinted for 1455 yards and 20 TO's, while quarterback Smokey McCarthey ran for 580 yards and threw for another 654 yards.

Other offensive stars were running back Kenny Oleson (961 yds., 7 TO's) and receivers Cliff McBride and Tony Ellis.

This gridders were successful in 12 of 13 contests this fall and they won the state title game by two touchdowns.

National Prep's 1976 All-America Football Team; the top schoolboy football players in the U.S.A. on sale this spring.

NEXT ISSUE

In the Great Southwest, Scottsdale Coronado, led by All-American quarterback Greg Brady, won it all in the Grand Canyon State, finishing 13-0 against Arizona AAA competition and landing the No. I ranking in the four-corner states (Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah) selected by the Southwest Sports News STATEMEI'IT OF OWNERSHIP, MANAOEMENT ANDCUtC\Jl.ATIO~. IRtqt<in:d b) l'l U.S.C.l61))1.

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PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

milk b) OM 1bo¥o 1ro eon-oct and

Above, all-stater Dennis Rexroad (31) bulls for short yardage in Parkersburg's 38-0 playoff win against No. 1 ranked Martin. burg, West Virginia; left, speedster Steve Hammond of Del City, Oklahoma, picked up 1455 yards and 20 TDs during state championship season.

continued

The Merrillville Pirates got a break when head coach Ken Haupt moved in two years ago from Cincinnati Elder to help guide the Indiana school to football glory. Below, halfback Woody Melcher confers with Haupt during tournament game with South Bend St. ·Joseph.

Service. It was a dream finish for the

Diving Bill Schoepflin, ·colorado's MVP, sails over fallen Centaurus defenders during 40-6 playoff win tor state champion Arvada. Schoepflin's team became third team in a row to lose its first game of the -season and regroup to win. 12 straight and the Colorado AAA title.

Best Of The· Rest

28

Alabama - Athens, Birmingham Hayes, Birmingham West Bend, Mobile Murphy; Alaska - Anchorage Diamond, Anchorage .. West; Arizona - Phoenix Maryvale, Phoenix South Mountain, Tucson Amphitheater, Tucson Canyon Del Oro; ArkansasLittle Rock Central, Little Rock Hall, Little Rock Parkview, Ft. Smith Northside; California - Fontana, Los Angeles Wilson, Orange Villa Park, Rancho Cordova, Sanger, Santa Rosa Cardinal Newman, Saratoga, St. Paui.Santa Fe Springs, Temple City, West Covina, West Covina South Hills; Colorado -Arvada, Cherry Creek, Colorado Springs Wasson, Denver North, Denver Ranum, Westminister; Connecticut - Ansonia, East Hartford, Madison Hand, New Britain; Delaware- Camden-Wyoming Caeser Rodney, Delmar, Newark; District of Columbia - Washington Carrol. Washington Georgetown Prep, Washington Roosevelt, Washington St. Johns; Florida - Del Ray Atlantic, Jacksonville Jackson, Miami Carol City, Panama City Bay, Tampa Plant; GeorgiaAuburn Turner, Avondale, Griffin, Jesup Wayne County; Hawaii- Honolulu Radford, Kamehamah, Wahaiwa Leilehua, Waianae; Idaho - Boise Borah, Pocatello Highland; Illinois - Belleville W.est, Chicago Vocational, Elk Grove, Glen Ellyn Glenbard West, Joliet Catholic, Winnetka New Trier East; Indiana - Indianapolis Cathedral, Merrillville, Valparaiso; Iowa- Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Davenport Assumption, Sioux City Heelan, West Des Moines Dowling; Kansas- Emporia, Junction City, Shawnee Mission West, Wichita Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, Wichita Southeast; Kentucky- Henderson County, Louisville Seneca, Louisville St. Xavier, Louisville Trinity; Louisiana - Baton·Rouge lstrouma, New Orleans St. Augustine, Shreveport Jesuit, Shreveport Woodlawn; Maine - Auburn Edward Little, Sanford; Maryland - Bowie, Potomac Churchill; Massachusetts - Hanover, Lynn Classical, New Buryport, Newton North, Peabody. Walpole; Michigan - Flint Southwestern, East Grand Rapids, Farmington Harrison, Lincoln Park; Minnesota - Cloquet, Rochester John Marshall, St. Paul Johnson, St. Peter; Mississippi - Greenville, Jackson Callaway, Pascagoula; Missouri - Columbia Hickman, Joplin Parkwood, Kansas City Rockhurst, Lexington, St. Louis Sumner; Montana - Bozeman, Great Falls Russell; Nebraska - Lincoln Southeast, Omaha Creighton Prep, Omaha Northwest, Ralston; Nevada - Fallon Churchill County, Las Vegas Western, Reno; New Hampshire - Portsmouth; New Jersey - Camden, New Providence, South Orange Seton :Hall, Westfield, West New York St. Josephs; New Mexico Albuquerque, Albuquerque Sandia, Artesia, Las Cruces Mayfield; New York- Albany Christian Brothers Academy, Bayside Cardoza, Farmingdale, Rochester McQuaid Jesuit, Rush Henrietta, Staten Island Farrell; North Carolina- Greensboro Page, High Point Andrews, Rockingham Richmond, Shelby; North Dakota - Fargo North, Fargo Shanley; Ohio- Cincinnati Princeton, Elyria Catholic, Gahanna Lincoln, Lakewood St. Edward, West Jefferson, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney; Oklahoma- Bristow, Del City, Oklahoma City Putnam City West; Oregon -Forest Grove, Grants Pass; Pennsylvania - Beaver Falls, Butler, Norristown, Radnor, Warren, Whitehall; Rhode Island Newport Rogers; South Carolina - Greenwood, Summerville; South Dakofa Yankton; Tennessee - Gallatin, Jackson-Central Merry, Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Oak Ridge; Texas -Arlington Houston, Beaumont Hebert, Brazoswood, Dallas Highland Park, Galveston Ball, Houston Kashmere, Houston Memorial, Killeen, Longview, Lubbock Monterey, Odessa Permian, Port Neches-Groves, Sherman; Utah - Kaysville Davis, Provo, Salt Lake Skyline, Salt Lake West; Vermont :..... Rutland Mt. St. Joseph, South Burlington; Virginia - Falls Church, Hampton Bethel, South Hampton; West Virginia - DuPont, Martinsburg, Parkersburg; Washington - Federal Way, Seattle Garfield; Wisconsin- Antigo, Milwaukee Madison, Racine Horlick; WyomingCheyenne Central, Laramie, Rock Springs.

Dons' head coach, Ed Anderson, who not only ·received Coca Cola's giant gold trophy for his team's final Southwest rating, but won his I OOth game in the semfinals against Tucson Amphi and his IOist in the finals against Phoenix South Mountain, to finish 101-59-4 at Coronado - retiring after the 1976 season.

Arvada beat Denver Ranum 12-7 before 14,000 fans at Colorado University in Boulder for the AAA crown in this proud sports state. With the victory, Arvada became the third team in a row to lose its first game of the season and then come back to win 12 straight and the state title. Denver Kennedy did it two seasons ago and Colorado Springs Mitchell (pro·duc:ed Big 8 star Terry Miller) pulled off the trick last year. Burlington gained a sweet revenge over Northeastern League foe Yuma in the Colorado AA title tilt, I 07, avenging a 40-6 Yuma win earlier in the season. Talk about a turnaround.

Albuquerque Sandia and Artesia (see 'Dogs Roll On, page 30) found the championship trail easy in the Land of Enchantment. New Mexico may be one of the smallest states in the country, but it sure has some of. the biggest high school "programs" in the land. Sandia's young Matadors had little trouble with Las Cruces Mayfield in the AAA finals, thumping the Trojans 23-6 in the big school battle, while Artesia's Bulldogs had even fewer problems with Socorro, hammering the Warriors 46-7 in Class AAA. The Matadors used~ an impressive performance by junior speedster Mike Carter (won AAAA 100-yard dash title in windy 9A as a sophomore), who ripped the Trojan defense for 274 yards and three TDs, and a clutch performance by a swarming defense, which held Mayfield's offense to only 69 yards. Carter struck for a pair of first half touchdowns on bursts of 75 and 96 yards, then added a 13-yard scoring scamper in the fourth quarter to close out the Matadors' scoring. Remember the name Sandia. The state champs put five players on the Albuquerque Journal's All-State team, and four are juniors.

Two coaches with two of the best overall records in the country will be gone after the 1977-78 schoolyear. John Deti, 66, steps down this season after 33 years in the business at Laramie High in Wyoming.

Prior to the 1976 campaign, Deti-coached teams won I 0 state AA titles; along with nine undefeated seasons and a 217-88-8 career record. In 1974 he was selected as the National Coach of the Year. .

Such will also be the case with Sid Cichy, who coaches at Fargo Shanley, North Dakota. Rumor has it that Cichy has one more year at this famed football school which competes against both Minnesota and Wisconsin teams. Shanley High has only about 600 students, but has won more state titles than your average school and once won over 50 games in a row. Cichy, like Deti, was chosen National Coach of the Year in 1975, an honor long overdue. e PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

l

Tennessee AAA Finals

Game Of The Year Banzai! It's Bradley Central in three overtimes, 50-48, for the Tennessee Class AAA title!

At the state finals in Murfreesboro, Bradley Central outshot Jackson CentralMerry 8-6 in the last stanza during a record-breaking performance for the big school championship of Tennessee.

In the highest scoring contest in the state's playoff history, Bradley's Scott Kyle scored five touchdowns to lead his team to the unprecedented win, selected national Game of the Year for I976 by National Prep.

It marked an East state sweep of all three Tennessee classes, as Maryville swamped Brentwood of Middle Tennessee 27-0 and Rockwood edged Dyer County of West Tennessee 3-0 on a 23-yard field goal

by Terry Jordan in only one overtime.

In the Class AAA title game, the score was tied 14-14 at halftime and 28-28 after regulation play. In overtime each team was given a four-down possession at the opponent's 10-yard line, much like the Utah AAA shootout in 1974 when Millard beat Cedar City 52-46 in a five overtime debacle which lasted three-hours and 15minutes. Only this time the score was different.

During the Tennessee overtime debacle, both Bradley Central and Jackson Central-Merry scored three times, but Jackson missed on its last final two point conversion try and the game was history.

But it won't be soon forgotten by Bradley High fans in Cleveland. Neither will QB Scott Kyle's performance.

The slick 6-1, 175 pound signal caller threw for 12 touchdowns during the course of the season, ran for 10 more, passed for 850 yards and rushed for 472. He threw only five interceptions for the groundoriented champions which totaled 3585 yards between September and December.

His best running back was little Danny Wooden (5-8, 165) who carried the mail through 13 Tennessee foes 269 times for 1500 yards and 13 TDs. He was joined on the all-state team with tight end Dennis Carroll (6-2, 21 0), who grabbed 20 passes from Kyle for 360 yards and five scores, averaging 18 yards per grab.

Central was the surprise of a football state which featured the likes of defending AAA champion Oak Ridge, Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Chattanooga Kirkman: Nashville Maplewood and Gallatin, to name a few. A 24-18 semifinal win over Dobyns-Bennett and Jackson's 27-21 overtime win over Gallatin merged Tennessee's two slickest teams into the finals, and the rest is history.

Throughout the years, Tennessee teams have blown more lightbultis out of scoreboards than any football state in the country. Take Dobyns-Dennett of Kingsport, for example. Tennessee started official football playoffs for state championships in 1969. Before that the state champ was crowned by the Associated Press and United Press International. Often two different teams were declared state champions.

Dobyns-Dennett was state champ in 1923, 1935, I936, 1938, 1939, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1955, 1959, 1960 and 1964.

Here are some runaway scores that D-B has piled up over the years: In 1923 they beat Marion, Virginia, 94-

(Remember, this is football.) At the conclusion of the first quarter of the DobynsNorton mismatch, D-B had jumped out to a 52-0 lead. The second quarter was shortened by three minutes to help hold the score down; D-B managed to score only 12 points to take a 64-0 halftime lead. The Indians returned after halftime to score an amazing 73 points- in the third quarter - to take a 140-0 lead going into the last stanza. Officials shortened that period three minutes to prevent a worse disaster.

One of the players to play in this historic game (and the 100-0 win against Bristol) was Bobby Dodd, who later coached at Georgia Tech after landing AllAmerica honors at the University of

BRADLEY QB ON THE LOOSE - Scott Kyle of Bradley Central High in Cleveland, Tennessee, established state AAA playoff record against Jackson Central-Merry with five touchdowns and 32 points during wild 50-48 win in three overtimes.

0. In 1923 they beat Newport 95-0. In 1924 they blasted Big Stone Gap, Virginia, 97-0.

D-B beat Tennessee High of Bristol (selected mythical national champions in 1972 by the National Sports News Service) 100-0 in a game played on November 14, 19 25. They later beat Greenville in the last game in a low scorer, 40-6.

Then in 1926, D-B beat Norton, Virginia, 193-0. In three consecutive games the Indians scored I 00 points or more.

Tennessee. Had the game not been shortened, D-B might have had a chance to set what may have been a national scoring record. During the 1912season, Muskegon High of Michigan defeated Hastings 2I60. In Muskegon's next game they defeated Ferris Institute 137-0.

But in 1928 Haven High of Kansas defeated Sylvia 256-0 for what is, to this day, the most points ever recorded by a single â&#x20AC;˘ high school team in a single game.

29 PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Artesia: The 'Dogs Roll On Built by the legendary L. G. Henderson and carried on by young Mike Phipps, Artesia's gridiron empire may be one of the best "small school" football programs in America.

By Alex Gordon/Dan Williams

Throughout the years, Artesia has gained a reputation in almost every New Mexico city and town, not for its size, not for its location or oil industry, but for its ability to produce quality football teams - year after year.

Almost anywhere you go, whether it be in New Mexico or West Texas, when the name "Artesia" is mentioned in the· fall, the word "Bulldogs" naturally follows.

People all over the state o.f New Mexico and portions of the Lone Star State have heard of Artesia's football program at one time or another, and when they do they can't help but talk about what it is that makes Artesia produce such fine football teams.

When the Bulldogs dropped from the ranks of AAAA competition to AAA in 1974, schools throughout New Mexico began wondering just what it was going to take to stop a team which had built up such a winning tradition among the so-called "big schools".

So far, none have found a solution, and when this year's Bulldog football machine steam rolled over Socorro 46-7 for the 1976 New Mexico AAA title, it was their third such triumph in three years, their ninth since 1957. Twenty years ago the 'Dogs, coached by Reese Smith and assisted by a gentleman named L. G. Henderson, finished 12-0 on the season after defeating Albuquerque Highland 27-26 forthe "big school" title.

Another state championship came in 1964, but it was only the beginning of a tradition that has meant a lot to the community of Artesia. By winning another state championship, the "Pride of the Pecos Valley" once again helped to spread the name Artesia across this large football section of the country. Between 1964 and 1969, the 'Dogs landed five state AAAA championships and were almost unbeatable against New Mexico and Texas competition. New Mexico sports fans spoke of Artesia in the same manner in which Texas fans spoke highly of football schools like Abilene and Odessa Permian.

A lormer 'Dog himself, Phipps' dedication end enthusiasm has been contagious to both players and fans alike; he's won three consecutive AAA titles as coach. (Daily Press photo by John Moore) •

The school Artesia and the name L. G. Henderson combined to form a program that was as respected as any schoolboy program of its kind in the Southwest.

But good things don't last forever, and Artesia's glory days of AAAA football dominance reached a peak in the 1969 title game when the 'Dogs, playing before more than 12,000 fans in their famous Bulldog Bowl, dropped Hobbs 21-8 for Henderson's fifth and last state championship. Before you could say "Bulldog", the population of Artesia had dropped so drastically the school board found themselves with less than 800 students competing in a AAAA conference whose largest schools exceeded well over 2,000 students. After back-to-back gridiron droughts, L. G. Henderson departed for Alice, Texas, and one of his former players, Mike Phipps,

took over as the 'Dogs dropped down to AAA competition. · Ask any Artesian what kind of town they live in, and chances are they'll reply, "Artesia is a football town, pure and simple." Artesia has been a football town since the days when the game was played with no protective equipment. "Community support and athletic-minded administration and school board officials all work together to make our football program what it is today," insists Phipps, who played on Artesia's Il-l state championship team in 1964.

"The team has always been successful, winning several state championships in the past, and always putting in an effort which has earned the pride and respect of the entire community," he claims. "Community support for the Bulldogs can be seen alPREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

tory, a newcomer to the scene, Albuquermost everywhere you look. The name Bullque Academy, nearly dealt the 'Dogs an dog can be seen on shops and supermarkets, bumper stickers and store winupset. The Chargers battled Artesia to a dows, and the color of the Big Orange is 14-14 tie only to lose by one penetration. It also always on display. was the first time that a New Mexico AAA "That's why we have such good athgrid squad had not been defeated by Arletes here. They've seen what it takes to tesia in regulation play, and the first team win and work hard at it. The support of the in a full year that one had not fallen by at community makes athletics important to least 30 points.

Former Taos head coach Bennie the high school students, and because it's Gallegos remarked before the semifinal important the kids want to excel." game that he hoped it would snow on the The more emphasis the community day of their game with Artesia because his places on athletics, the more athleticnorthern boys were used to the nasty weaminded the school board and administher and the Bulldogs were not. He got his tration at Artesia becomes. They are the wish; the snow fell in Bulldog Bowl all ones who set the budgets for the school sysright, but so did his Tigers, 48-6, to the tem. The way they distribute the money 'Dogs after the game was called (because depends largely on the wishes of the of snow) with nearly 10 minutes left to community. A million dollar football stadium, the Bulldog Bowl (the House that L. play. Coach Gallegos had had enough.

G. Henderson built), is a perfect example Like Gallegos, most high school coaches have had their fill of the Bulldogs of how important the school system feels the football program is. Last fall a total of since their switch to AAA ball. The sta$25,000 was spent on high school football tistics for the past year tell the story. In the alone; one of the largest budgets of its kind 12 games played prior to their state in the country for schools with less than championship win over Socorro, the Big 800 enrollment. Artesians are proud of Orange sported a 10-1-1 record. Artesia's their football stadium, one of the most only loss came early in the season to impressive looking "small school" AAAA Alamogordo by one point. In overall scoring, the Bulldogs out-scored stadiums in the U.S.A. The winning tradition that it exemplifies has made the citi- opponents 425-118, outgained them 4541 zens proud enough to feel that high school yards to 2205, and held all three district foes scoreless. football has brought national recognition Phipps, who led the 'Dogs to all.three to this small New Mexico community, AAA championships since he assumed the making football worth every bit of the tax head job in 1974, says being a winner just , money that goes into it. ·· ~~ · .. It has rubbed off on some of the other means working harder. "When you're a winner, you've got everybody gunning for .~as well. The 'Dogs are now winyou," he says. "That's why we always ~te championships in track and '. Last year the baseball team went work for improvement in every game. If /on the state AAA diamond crown you don't improve somebody's going to )s spring could be one of the strong- come around and knock you off. ~ams in New Mexico "small school" "When a team with only six starters re,...wry with seven starters back who batted t.urning from last year's championship team has the pride and desire to put it to•ell over . 300 . ./ "When I came to Artesia two years gether and win it all again, that really says r ago I didn't think we could turn the a lot for the kids," he adds. "A whole lot."

Phipps was one of those "kids" himbasketball program around over night, especially in a football town," says second- . self once, back in 1964, a year in which L. year cage mentor Rusty Heskett. "Then I G. Henderson led the Bulldogs to a state saw the track and baseball teams win state AAAA championship. It was also a year in championships. I thought, 'man we have a which Mike Phipps said he made a dechance.' You should see the water tank cision to be a football coach, a decision he outside of town. It's reserved for footballs claims was inspired by the legendary only (see page 4). I'd like to get a water Henderson.

Phipps was a senior that year, and also tank all our own and cover it with basketballs. It will take time, but the whole an outstanding football player for the community is behind us. The school board 'Dogs. After the season he was selected as is willing to help us build a winner in an all-district guard and defensive linebasketball. We really like it here." backer. He played on the All-South team Whatever happens, his teams are on and in the annual North-South game, a the right track. Although it could be sev- game Phipps said he will always rememeral years before the 'Dogs manage to land ber. "We really beat their butts," he says, a basketball title in the Land of Enchant- grinning from ear to ear. ment, his cagers entered the Christmas After graduating from Artesia, Phipps break with a 6-2 record, including encour- went to college at the University of Arkanaging wins of 107-102 over Eunice, and 93- sas. "I entered college ball as a walk-on," 83 over "small school" power Morenci, he adds jokingly. "And after two months I Arizona. walked off.'' He graduated from college Unlike previous Bulldog campaigns with a BS degree in education and with leading up to the inevitable state football majors in physical education and science. crown, this year's road into the champion- It was at that time that he and his wife ship was a bit more hazardous. After Kathy, an Artesia girl, decided to make breezing to an easy District 4AAA vic- Big Orange Country their home.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

It didn't take long for Phipps to move up in the ranks of the Artesia coaching staff. His first job was coaching the sixth and seventh graders at Zia Junior High, a job which he held for one year. He then moved up into the high school staff under Henderson where he was assigned to coach the offensive line for two years, and in 1973 coached the defensive line. In 1974, the school board named Phipps to succeed Henderson as head coach; it was a big year for the rookie, as he lead the Bulldogs to their first state championship since 1969.

He's won it every time since.

"Winning is not the only thing in the world," he says. "We want to win, yes, but winning isn't everything. A person can be a winner a lot of ways, not just on the scoreboard. When we lost to Carlsbad last year we were winners because we were good sports. We got beat, but we didn't lose.

"I do not measure myself and my abilities as a ~oach by whether we win or not," he adds. "I feel that I'm a winner as long as I'm doing what's right for those kids out there. That's why our whole staff is here.

In my opinion, that's what coaching is all about."

"People are saying that Artesia is a Four-A school playing Three-A competition," informs one opposing coach. "What they are is a Three-A school with a Four-A football program. With their enrollment down like it is today, they'll probably never be able to compete, week-afterweek, against bigger schools like they used to. But against Three-A schools in our state, they'll be impossible to stop."

Assuming the Bulldogs win another football crown during this decade, a yearby-year plan for producing top-notch athletic teams will always be a reality, and the famous Artesia Bulldogs will have continued their winning tradition of having one of the finest "small school" football e programs in America.

During L. G. Henderson's royal domain, Artesia ruled New Mexico football like no school ever did, once winning six state AAAA championships within seven years.

Here, Henderson watches coin toss against Texas toe.

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ALL-TIME NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RECORDS (Prior to 1976 season) (Colorado Sidelines photo)

TEAM MOST STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 26 ......... Phoenix Union, Arizona (between 1913 and 1954) MOST CONSECUTIVE STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS 9 ....................... Phoenix Union, Arizona (1920-1928) LONGEST WIN STREAKS 72 ........................... Hudson, Michigan 71 ..................... Jefferson City, Missouri 64 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pittsfield, Illinois 60 ................. Bloomington South, Indiana

(1968-1975) (1958-1966) (1966-1973) (1963-1973)

MOST POINTS SCORED (GAME) 256 ............ Haven, Kansas 256 vs Sylvia, Kansas 0, 1928 216 ............ Muskegon, Michigan 216 vs Hastings 0, 1912 193 Kingsport Dobyns-Bennett, Tn. 193 vs Norton, Va. 0, 1926 MOST POINTS SCORED (SEASON) 820 ..................... Big Sandy, Texas (14 games), 1975 SHUTOUT SCORING (SEASON) 701 ... Harrisburg Tech, Pa. (12 games, 58.4 ppg. to 0), 1919

INDIVIDUAL MOST POINTS SCORED (GAME) 78 ......... Eddie Byrge, Huntsville, Tenn. vs Sunbright, 1968 77 ........ Ernie Perea, Los Lunas, N.M. vs Ft. Wingate, 1967

""'- MOST POINTS SCORED (SEASON) 395 ............. Ken Hall, Sugar Land, Tx. (12 games), 1953 MOST POINTS SCORED (CAREER) .

899 . Ken Hall, Sugar Land, Tx. (127 TDs, 137 PATs), 1950-53 MOST YARDS RUSHING (GAME) 608 ......... John Bunch, Elkins, Arkansas vs Winslow, 1974 MOST YARDS RUSHING (SEASON) 4045 ......... Ken .Hall, Sugar Land, Texas (12 games), 1953 MOST YARDS RUSHING (CAREER) 11,232 ............. Ken Hall, Sugar Land, Texas, 1950-1953 MOST YARDS PASSING (GAME) 588 ... Dwain Frazier, Houston Elmore vs Aldine Carver, 1968

This may not look ./ike the start of an 87-yard TDrun, but that's what it turned out to be as Terry Miller (now a Big 8 star tor Oklahoma State), of Colorado Springs Mitchell outraced Wheat Ridge defenders during 1973 state AAA title game. Miller rushed for 2779 yards in 13 games to I!Jecome one of many American schoolboy stars who have busted the 2000-yard barrier in a single season.

MOST YARDS PASSING (SEASON) 4098 ............ Jimmy Jordan, Tallahassee Leon, Fla., 1975 MOST YARDS PASSING (CAREER).

76.3.3 ....... Pat Haden, LaPuente Bishop Amat, Ca., 1968-70

PASS RECEPTION YARDAGE (GAME) 323 ... John Mc'Kay Jr., Bishop Amat vs Downey Pius X, 1969

MOST PASS RECEPTIONS (GAME) 22 Bobby Thomas, King of Prussia, Pa. vs. Warminster Tennett, 1972 22 Frank Mobley, Madison Suwannee River, Fla. vs Quincy Carter-Parramore, 1972

PASS RECEPTION YARDAGE (SEASON) 1841 ......... John McKay Jr., Bishop Amat, California, 1969

MOST PASS RECEPTIONS (SEASON) 106 ...... John McKay Jr., LaPuente Bishop Amat, Ca., 1969 MOST PASS RECEPTIONS (CAREER) 207 . . . John McKay Jr., LaPuente Bishop Amat, Ca., 1968-70

PASS RECEPTION YARDAGE (CAREER) 3659 ........... Stan Rome, Valdosta, Ga. (4 years), 1970c73 3389 ...... John McKay, Bishop Amat, Ca. (3 years), 1968-70 LONGEST FIELD GOAL 62 .............. Kelly l'mhoof, Kent Wash. vs Arlington, 1929 62 Russell Wheatley, Odessa Permian, Tx. vs Longview, 1975 61 ......... Jerry Spicer,.Hobart, Indiana vs Valparaiso, 1975

All-time national high school records compiled by Doug Huff, Associate Sports Editor, The lntelligencer, Wheeling, West Virginia.

~----------------------------------------------------------------------------------~33 PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Five straight tennis titles are now in the fold for Cherry Creek High in Englewood, Colorado. And head coach Richard Hillway feels the Bruins could well have the best schoolboy program in the nation.

He might be right.

Au

things being relative - and they usually aren't - it would be difficult to prove that there has ever been a prep sports team in the Great Southwest like Cherry Creek's 1976 boys tennis team in Englewood, Colorado. Given the following facts, the above statement seems quite possible: For sure, Colorado - and probably the rest of the Rockies - has never produced an even faintly similar tennis team, and there may not be another high school net squad in the nation who could equal the Bruins' performance last fall.

More boys have turned out for tennis at Cherry Creek than for any other sport - including football - for the past three years. Last fall's enrollment soared to be

events in 1974, three of five in 1973, and two of five events in 1972.

Only Denver East's 1955-1959 state reign tops the Bruins, but at that time only two titles in singles and one in doubles were contested instead of the present three in each category. And the top players during that span could choose to play in either singles or doubles.

Also, over the past four years Cherry Creek has won 435 individual matches and lost only eight. This year's team won 114 matches and lost one (won 228 sets and lost three); the 1975-76 team won Ill matches and lost three; the 1974-75 team won I06 and lost one; the 1973-74 team won I 04 and lost three.

Within an eight-week season, the

MAKE IT FIVE STRAIGHT FOR CHERRY CREEK an astrononical 96, and Coach Richard Hillway won't be surprised if the number reaches 100 next season. ¡ Numbers, however, aren't the Bruins' only claim to fame. In addition to "quantity" they also have been playing a numbers game called "quality" to compile the most impressive set of win-lose statistics in Colorado history.

In the past 51 dual meets, the varsity has shutout 47 of its opponents by 6-0 scores, with the other four opponents being defeated by 5-1 scores. Permitted to play only 12 dual meets per year by the Colorado Activities Association, Cherry Creek has gone undefeated in its past 77 duals over the past seven years, its last defeat coming in September of 1970.

The Bruins' have won five consecutive state championships and six consecutive Centennial League and District 8 championships. The state tournament consists of six events: 1st, 2nd and 3rd singles, and 1st, 2nd and 3rd doubles. No individual may play in more than one event. In the past five years, Cherry Creek has won 20 of 27 individual state titles by winning five of six events in 1975-76, five of five

players on the Cherry Creek tennis team played 7 25 separate matches (which included 343 reported challenge matches for spots on the tennis ladder) and 383 matches against other teams in 48 scheduled dual meets. The team played a total of 13,743 games last fall.

In what may be a national schoolboy record, Coach Hillway used 61 different players in varsity and junior varsity matches two years ago, breaking his 1974 record of 50 different players. Even the fifth players participated in match~s last fall, and the Pied Piper of Arapahoe County is hoping as many as 100 will reach competition by next season.

The second and third teams on the Cherry Creek squad (players numbered 10 to 27 on the challenge ladder) played almost exclusively against other varsity teams, while players numbered 28 to 96 competed against other teams' second and third units.

While nearly every member of the team gets to compete in some interschool matches (this season 90 players saw action against other teams), the Cherry Creek team has an overall record (varsity and continued

35

Tennis

continued

junior varsity matches) over the past six years of 166 wins, four losses and 12 ties.

This includes a five-year undefeated streak of 138 dual meets.

"Thirty players lettered on the varsity this se~son," claims Hillway. "In order to letter, each player had to compete against seven varsity teams in official matches. To gain a position on our team, each kid has¡ to have three head-on wins over the player behind him on the ladder.

"These tennis players are excellent athletes," he adds. "They defeated the junior varsity soccer team in soccer. They've beaten the sophomore boys basketball team in basketball, the girls volleyball team in volleyball, and so forth. Eight of our top nine players have A grade-point averages in school, and our other player has a B-plus average. They are all among the top school leaders in government, clubs and the school newspaper."

The nine individuals on the present Cherry Creek varsity have won, during their careers, sixteen separate state titles in Colorado high school tennis. These nine have accumulated in the past four years 359 wins and five losses.

Finally, Colorado's top three players - all three seniors on the Cherry Creek team - are among the better players in the United States and are ranked one, two and three in the six-state Intermountain Region in boys tennis - age 18 and under singles.

John Benson, number one man on the

team, is tentatively ranked number 23 in the country in 18 and under singles in the preliminary USTA rankings. He became the first player in the 51-year history of the Colorado high school state tennis tournament to win four consecutive singles championships, his last three in number one singles. His career mark for four years with the Bruins is 75 wins, one loss, and he recently reached the semifinals of the national tournament held in Dallas during the Thanksgiving weekend. His brother Dave is on the varsity team at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Senior Brian Sullivan: 76-0

Senior Bob Brown: 68-0

Senior John Benson: 75-1

Senior Bob Brown finished his high school career at Cherry Creek with 68 wins and no losses. He won three state titles: number two singles this year, number three singles last year and number one doubles as a sophomore. He is ranked number two in singles in the six-state region.

Senior Brian Sullivan was also nationally ranked in 18 and under singles in 1976. Brian completed a super prep career with 76 wins against no losses, losing only one set in four years. He won four consecutive state titles, including number two doubles as a ninth grader, number two singles the next two seasons and number three singles last fall. As a senior he lost only 14 games in 19 matches

Portions of the above appeared in the November 12 edition of COLORADO SIDELINES. Scott Stocker editor.

and won 13 mat-ches by 6-0 scores to bring his high school t-otal to 30 shutouts. He became the fourth player in Colorado history to win f<>ur state titles in tennis, following John Benson as well as Charlie Kettering and Willy Shafroth who achieved this~ before graduating from Cherry C:5ek"'fn 1974-75.

Other players for the Cherry Creek varsity included junior Ken Mason (two state titles and a 52-I record) and junior Martis Smith (a 46-3 record and ranked second in the Intermountain at age 16 and under) who came in third in the number one doubles, senior Mike Murray (36-0 record~ and tW<J state titles) and senior Bill Whistler (35-1 record and two state titles) who won the number two doubles, sophomore Rich Levine (19-0} and freshman Dave Friedman ( 19-0) who won the number three doubles in the state tournament.

"I felt like a terrific load had been lifted off my shoulders," said an elated John Ben:son after he had successfully defended his number one singles title in the state meet at the Air Force Academy. "I really felt the pressure this season. So had the whole team. We're relieved it's over."

For the senior-dominated Cherry Creek team, a fifth straight AAA team title was safely tucked away as Benson downed Fountain Valley's Tab McGinley 6-1, 6-2 for this third consecutive number one title.

Benson opened his title defense by whipping Thomas Jefferson's Mark Seivier 6-1, 6:3, then advanced into the semi-finals by topping Evergreen's Eric Dufford 6-4, 6-2. Robby Hill met Benson in the semifmals, but the young Manual SQphomore was no match, falling 6-1, 6-1.

Hill did go on to take the third place medal PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

..

f}

in the number one singles bracket, beating Denver Prep League rival Jim Mease of Washington High.

As a team, Cherry Creek totaled 69 points to easily out-distance runnerup Denver Manual. The second-place Thunderbolts, behind a pair of third-place finishes (Hill and number two singles player Skipper Wells), came in ahead of Boulder Fairview which placed third with 22 points. Bear Creek and Pueblo South rounded out the top five positions.

"When you've got a streak going like the one we have, you do start to worry about it," related Hill way while waiting to take home another trophy. "The kids were really playing under a tremendous amount of pressure. We thought that we would be in pretty good shape, but you never can tell. Sometimes some funny things can happen to the kids in this business."

Hillway, trying to dream up some way to prove his team's preeminence na- . tionally, said, "It's rare for a Colorado high school team to be so competitive with teams from the larger states, and espe- ¡ cially in tennis, where high altitude can be a detriment to improvement. But I know we?re competitive, and our record speaks for itself."

Unfortunately, there is no official national high school team competition to prove or disprove the Bruins' national status. But whatever the case, Cherry .

Creek High in Englewood has one of the finest programs of its kind in the country - if not the finest.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Senior Mike Murray (left) won two state titles and finished with a 36-0 record, while ;unior Mar/is Smith (bottom)has compiled a 46-3 record and is ranked No. 2 in the Intermountain in boys 1.6 and under singles. (AI Vrooman photos)

X-Country

.

'

ALL -AMERICANS Led by runners likf1 Bill McChesney of South Eugene, Oregon, and teams like Deerfield, Illinois, the 1976 All-America Cross Country team is one of the strongest in history. Presently knee-deep in outdoor track, these runners can. credit their present success to their efforts last fall on the tong distance ·courses of America.

· By Marc . Bloom

'l:e nation's leading scholastic distance runners are presently knee-deep in outdoor track, preparing for state finals and hoping to achieve performances that will justify the long, hard training they have endured since the heat of last summer. The runners who seem unbeatable, .who are just waiting for that perfect spring day to post a 4: I0 mile or snap 9:00 for two·miles, can most likely trace the origins of their current success to last fall's er.o~ country season.

Tile !lUtumn jaunts around the rolling terrain of sweet-smelling surburban golf courses and up and down the dusty hills of municipal parks are now paying dividends for aspiring national champions. There are no hills on a 440 track; not much cinder is still around either. High schools have tagged along with the colleges in putting down fancy all-weather surfaces.

It all comes down to clicking off lap times with consistency. Those who can handle a hot pace from gun to tape will find their names in the headlines and the record books. Many of them excelled in . cross country, and it was that springboard that propelled th·em toward track success as well. Many of these stalwarts were listed in National Prep Sports' 1976 High School All-American Cross Country Team at pre-season. They were the nation's top fifty harriers last fall; they are listed in alphabetical order.

There is a unique quality to any cross country All-American team. In other sports there are many positions that reduce the number of candidates for a given honor. For example, in football, quarterbacks are judged with other quarterbacks, linemen with other linemen, and so on. In cross country, there is only one event the race; and there is only one position the runner. More than .I 00,000 teenagers ran high school cross country last fall.

Consequently, the athletes selected represented quite a distinct group.

These youngsters were chosen only .on the basis of their cross country record for PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

the 1976 season. Their state championship performances ~eighed most heavily, although all of them did not win state titles. State qualifying and invitational events were also given significant consideration. Some harriers competed in interstate contests, enabling further comparisons. Track times do not count, and any mention of them is done only to illuminate the runner's talents.

It was a rough season for injuries. ·Several of the leading '75 harriers, who, naturally, were pre-season picks last fall, were victims of ailments or illnesses of sufficient impact to derail their expectations.

The weather did not cooperate much either: it was the coldest autumn on record

Final1976 National High School Cross Country Rankings

1. Deerfield, Illinois 2. South Eugene, Oregon 3. Winchester Handley, Virginia

4. Costa Mesa, California 5. Bay Village, Ohio 6. Wheaton North, Illinois 7. Santa Fe, New Mexico 8. Largo, Florida 9. Elmhurst York, Illinois 10. Ft. Walton Choctawhatchee, Fl. 11. Wichita Southeast, Kansas 12. La Mesa Helix, California 13. Shawnee Mission South, Kansas 14. Grants, New Mexico 15. Grosse Point North, Michigan 16. Houston Strake Jesuit, Texas 17. Burnsville, Minnesota 18. Winston Salem Reynolds, N.C. 19. Gardner, Massachusetts 20. Scottsdale Coronado, Arizona Honorable Mention: Sioux Falls Lincoln, South Oakota; Mobile McGill- Toolan, Alabama; Cheyenne Central. Wyoming; State College, Pennsylvania; St. Albans, West Virginia; Tuba City. Arizona.

Compiled by National Prep Sports Network, 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona, 85014, Marc Bloom, Cross Country editor.

in many regions. Here, then, are the runners that survived in superior fashion: Bryan Ar-tz, Venice HS, Venice, Florida (Senior). Bryan won 13 of 15 races and capped 'his campaign with a state 3A victory, beating another All-American by eight seconds with the fastest time of the meet. He ran 14:09 for the three-mile course. Joe Belyea, South Portland HS, South Portland, Maine (Senior). Belyea enjoyed an unbeaten season that included his second straight state victory in the A division. Joe also won the New England title, which brings together runners from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. Jay Bendewald, Mead HS, Spokane, Washington (Senior). There is a strong distance running tradition in Washington, going back to the days of the legendary Gerry Lindgren, whose 8:40 (indoors) is still the best ever by a prep.

Bendewald won the state 3A title over a strong field with the fastest time of 12:09 for three divisions over 2.5 miles. Dave Bensema, Richards HS, Oak Lawn, Illinois (Senior). Dave won his district race and placed well in invitationals against other Illinois All-Americans. He was fourth in his state race, hitting 14: 18 for three miles and also took fourth in the National AAU Boys 16-17 event in Raleigh, North Carolina. Russ Bowles, St. Christopher's, Richmond, Virginia (Senior). Russ had only one loss in several high-level races in distance-minded Virginia. He repeated as state private schools champ. Carlos Carrasco, Mt. Pleasant, San Jose, California (Sophomore). The only soph selected,. Carrasco may be California's next Eric Hulst. He ran unbeaten, established many course records and captured the Central Coast title by 14 seconds over strong opposition. Darrel Cessor, Hawthorne 'HS, Hawthorne, California (Senior). Darrel, not yet renowned beyond the California sunshine, won the Southern Section scramble with the meet's fastest time of 9:59 for the two-mile, 70-

39

X-C ,. a.~d

40

against club competition. Tom Graves, his home state and. nailed the runnerup Sandburg HS, Orland Park, Illinois spot in the New England championships.

(Junior). Graves is simply sensational and Gary Lewis, Grants . HS, Grants, New Illinois insiders are calling him the. next Mexico (Senior). It was another banner Craig Virgin. Tom won the state title in season for Lewis,-who ran undefeated and 14:08 for three miles to complete an un- won the coveted National AA U 16-17 title·· beaten campaign. John Gregorek, St. over other All-Americans in Raleigh.

Anthony's HS, Smithtown, New York Robert Lopez, Glendale· HS, Glendale, (Junior). John became the first harrier in Arizona (Senior). This 1975 Jr. Olympic recent memory to complete an unbeaten runnerup had an unblemished 1976 record schedule of invitational runs while only a in which he won the state championship junior at Van Cortlandt Park's heavily- race by 33 seconds. Billy Lynch, Sanderused trails in New York City. His record son HS, Sanderson, North Carolina included the Eastern.. States champion~ (Senior). Billy enjoyed an unbeaten season ship. Scott H11ack, Handley HS, Win- and won the state title by 15 seconds. Jim chester, Virginia (Senior-). Haack set eight McCauley, Heelan HS, Sioux City, Iowa course records and repeated as state 3A (Senior). Jim had several triumphs and titlist beating top fields week after week on won the state 4A title over an accomvaried terrain. Jeff "Hacker, North HS, plished field. Bill McChesn'"y, South Menomonee ·Falls, Wisconsin (Junior). Eugene HS, Eugene, Oregon (Senior). Billy Hildebrandt had a number of major vic- shook ofT an early-season injury and ran tories and came within 35 yards of Mc- unbeaten to another title for the nationalChesney in the state finals. Eric Holmboe, ly-ranked Axeman. McChesney is perhaps State College; State College HS, State the nation's very best cross country runner. ·College, Pennsylvania (Senior). Con- John Murphy, Portsmouth Abbey HS, sistent running brought Eric his second · Warren, Rhode Island (Senior). Murphy straight state· 3A title. He lost only to the was well on his way to a second straight state's 2A victor, also an· All-American. unbeaten season and repeat New England Tim Holmes,- Downey HS, Modesto, and Junior Olympic titles when a severe in- · California (Senior) .. Off. to a slow··start jury forced him to hobble in second in his because of illness, Tim recovered with state meet. Ken Murphy, Putnam City HS,

yard course. He recorded an unbeaten season, defeating several big names. One win came in the Mt. San Antonio meet, the largest cross country meet in the U.S. with over 6,000 participants, boys and girls, on all levels. Mark Charkey, Central HS, Cheyenne, Wyoming (Junior). Central's schedule pits their runners against opposition from four different states, and Char key won six of seven invitationals. He also won the state title by 19 seconds, although . favored Central was upset by crosstown · rival Cheyenne East by one point. Charles Christensen, Edison HS, Huntington Beach, California (Senior).

Charlie posted victories over strong fields and won the Orange County, Southern Section prelims and Southern Section 4A finals. After a slow start in September, he proved himself when it counted in the championships. Kenny Clark, Rockledge HS, Rockledge, Florida (Junior). Young Kenny had ten ·victories, many by wide margins, and broke seven course records with consistent times of under 15 minutes for three miles. He also was the State 3A . runnerup (to another All-American) and won the National Junior Olympic 14-15 title in St. Louis. Mike Conley, McGiliToolen HS, Mobile, Alabama (Senior).

Conley won five of seven major races and captured the state title while breaking the meet record by 35 seconds. The previous recordholder was a 9:09 two-miter. Mike Cotton, New Canaan HS, New Canaan, Connecticut (Senior). After being the first U.S. finisher (sixth) in the prestigious Springback (Canada) road race, Mike ran away with everything in Connecticut. He was runnerup in the National AAU Boys 16-17 event. Jeff Creer, East HS, Salt Lake City, Utah (Senior). Jeff had an unbeaten season with fine performances while competing at high altitude,. a detriment to distance runners. Dave Daniels, San Gorgonio HS, San Bernadino, A senior at Glendale, Arizona, Robert Lopez won the AAA championship with a time of 15.28 California (Senior). Dave won the loaded over the rugged 3. 1 mile course, breaking the former state record by 36 seconds - largest section of the Mt. Sac race and continued winning margin in Arizona AAA cross country history. unbeaten 'til a runnerup placing in his Section finale. Clancy Devery, South seven course records and repeated as sec- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Senior). Ken Salem · HS, Salem, Oregon (Junior). tion champ against rugged opposition. was unheralded 'til he beat several AllClancy traded wins with his All-American Dan Hurley, Cretin HS, St. Paul, Minne- A :nericans and state titlists and won the teammate (Hildebrandt) and trailed the insota (Junior). Hurley registered a near-per- National Jr. Olympic 16-17 title in St. comparable McChesney in the state meet fect record and set several records en route Louis. Chip Pierce, Selah HS, Selah, when a swarm of bees interfered with the to the state .title over a reputable field. Washington (Junior). Chip marked down· s.:v~ral key victories, won the state I A title race. Jim Eubank, Clark HS, Las Vegas, Jamey Hutcheson, Marshalltown HS Nevada (Senior). Eubank took care Marshalltown, Iowa (Senior-). Hutcheson and finished a close fifth in the Junior of every runner in Nevada for the had 10 victories and got beat in the state Olympics. Tom Rapp, Madison HS, Trotsecond straight season and cruised to a finals in a controversial race marred by. wood, Ohio (Senior). Rapp completed an alleged course-cutting. Greg Jones, West unbeaten season and won the state }Adecisive win in the state finals: Chris Fox, Martinsburg HS, Martinsburg, West 'HS, Wichita, Kansas (Senior). Jones won individual title with the meet's second Virginia (Senior). Domination was Fox' several invitational races and took the fastest time of six divisions. Brad Rowe, calling card in West Virginia - 'til an state title in a swift 9: 15 for two miles over Crown ·Point HS, Crown Point, Indiana admitted poor third in . the state meet., .. nine other sub-9:30 finishers. Mark Kim- (Junior). -Brad posted several big wins and Chris atoned for the setback with a strong ball, Timberlane HS, Plaistow, New had only one loss in Indiana. He added a showing in the Eastern Senior USTFF Hampshire (Junior). Mark ran unbeaten in glossy coat to his record with a decisive

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

state championship win over a reputable field. Alan Scharsu, Fitch HS, Austintown, Ohio (Junior). Little AI succeeded in the true test of a champion when he returned from an injury and beat all opposition en route to a second straight Ohio large-schools triumph. Paul Schultz, Burke, Omaha, Nebraska (Junior). Schultz did not lose in Nebraska competition, and he captured state honors by 13 seconds. He was a close sixth in the Jr. Olympics.

Bobby Siehl, Morris Hills HS, Rockaway, New Jersey (Senior). New Jersey produces top distancemen with regularity, and last fall Siehl was clearly the best. He won the section, group and state titles in fast times and by wide margins. Mike Sheely, Kenwood HS, Baltimore, Maryland (Junior). Sheely was untouched in Maryland, winning the state title by 20 seconds.

He placed fourth .in the Jr. Olympics. Jim Spivey, Fenton HS, Hensonville, Illinois (Junior). Jim has an arm's-length list of victorious credits, losing only to AllAmerican Graves with a state runnerup time of 14: 16 for three miles. Bob Trujillo, East HS, Pueblo, Colorado (Senior).

Bobby, injured last year, returned in predictable form with a near-unbeaten record that included many course records and a runnerup effort in the Junior Olympics.

John Tuttle, Alfred-Almond HS, Alfred, New York (Senior). Tuttle, the Junior Olympic mile champion (4: 12), enjoyed an unbeaten fall. Budget restrictions prevented him from making a 500-mile roundtrip to the state finals. Joe Weston, South Plantation HS, Plantation, Florida (Senior).. Joe took home many gold medals after snapping course records and was runnerup in the state 4A race with a 14:24 for 3 miles. Lance White, Cape Henlopen, Lewes, Delaware (Junior). Lance cut his schedule to threads with convincing triumphs and annexed the state title in the process. Jeff Wilhelm, Amherst HS, Amherst, Ohio (Senior). Jeff was credited with seven invitational triumphs and was second to Scharsu in the Ohio finals. Herb Wills, ¡ Leon HS, Tallahassee, Florida (Junior). Herb excels from the mile to the marathon and won the Florida 4A title in 14:16 for 3 miles. Cliff Wimer, Solanco HS, Quarryville, Pennsylvania (Senior). It was a second straight unbeaten fall for Wimer, who won the Pennsylvania 2A title in a region known for rugged harriers.

Cross country is one of the few sports in which a poor performance by one athlete can totally offset superior efforts by the other athletes. The nation's top 25 teams, selected (pg. 39) for National Prep Sports, reflect the balance and team unity that is the key to cross country success: There were 33 states represented in the 50 individual AllcAmerican selections.

There were 32 seniors, 17 juniors and one sophomore. California led the choices with five runners selected; Florida had four. â&#x20AC;˘ Illinois, Ohio and Oregon had three.

Keith Hampton, top runner for the top team in the U.S.A., Deerfield, Illinois, leads the Warriors' junior-dominated squad to the finish line.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

X-Country

Deerfield: America's Best Deerfield, Illinois, distinguished itself as mythical national champion by winning all eight of their invitationals entered and the very, very tough Illinois state championship - by 31 points. The Warriors' five scoring runners averaged 14:45.0 for the state's three-mile course. They were led by Keith Hampton, a junior, and junior twins Mark and Todd McCallister. Todd has also run a 4: I 0 mile. Five of their top seven runners return for next year, making them the pre-season pick for 1977.

Despite the usual run of injuries and

sickness, Deerfield rolled over 202 opponents in head-to-head competition in 1976. Coach Len Kisellus' young squad showed their mettle early in the season when they defeated the top rated teams in both Illinois and Indiana in the tough IIliana Classic - without their No. I runner.

"We concentrated on total team running all year long," explains their coach, "and not on individual performances."

Capping it all off, Deerfield won the state title when their top five runners turned in

the lowest total time ever recorded in the Illinois finals on that particular threemile course: 14:33, 14:39, 14:40, 14:58 and 15:02. Top performers were Keith Hampton (8th), Todd McCallister (13th), Mark McCallister (14th), Bruce Gilbert (34th) and Greg Less (42nd}. In 12 undefeated duals, the Warriors averaged a low score of 16 points to their opponents' 46.9. With four of their top five being juniors, and five of the top seven underclassmen, it's easy to see why Deerfield should be even more awesome In 1977. â&#x20AC;˘

Illinois all-stater Keith Hampton (right}, only a junior, puts on his warm-up top after the while head coach Len Kisel/us reDeerfiefd

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

Wf!ve got a lot of . gooCiwork 1n the great outdoon.

---~--~

)

,_ Piloting a 41-footer through the chop off Cape Hatteras. Quartermaster on a buoy tender in Lake Superior. An Electronics Technician assigned to a cutter in Hawaii.

These are just a few of the jobs you could find in the Coast Guard, where the great outdoors is part of a great career.

Our main job is safety at sea.

Rescuing people in times of distress, hurricanes, floods and fires. We're also in the business of saving our environment, especially the nation's waterways from pollution and oil spillage. We also work to make our nation's harbors a safer place to work and help prevent accidents at sea. ' It's a big job, helping others. But,

remember, the Coast Guard is the smallest of all the country's services.

So we give everyone in the Coast Guard as much responsibility as he or she can handle. This means you can move ahead quickly, and get the job you can qualify for.

There are a lot of other reasons for joining the Coast Guard. Like helping yourself to further education. You can learn electronics, mechanics, communi 1ons, boat maintenance-anda 路 array of other technical ski I 路 hat would be hard to pursue on t utside.

We'll even help you get a college degree, if that's on you horizon. You can earn college credits while you serve.

What about life in the Coast Guard? You get a good paycheck, with

your first raise coming right after boot camp. It goes a lot further, too, because you'll get free quarters, meals, uniforms and medical and dental care. And, to top it off, you'll get 30 days of paid vacation every year. That'ssomethingtothinkabout.

If you're a young person looking ahead for a job with real meaning, or between the ages of 17 and 26 and want that good job right now, consider the Coast Guard. It's good work, helping others while you help yourself. 路 Pi lot your future now. Ca II us toll free for more information.

HELP OTHERS HELP YOURSELF

800路424--3 THE COAST GUARD

Lydia Rountree. • • • •

Glad To See Her

,'G0.,'I When graduation rolls around, foes of Elm City, North Carolina, will be glad to see Lydia Rountree leave for the college ranks.

By Trip

Puree!~

W e n Lydia Rountree graduates from Elm City High School in North Carolina this June, an official day of celebration will take place in every school which has had to compete against her since the fall of 1973.

But an official day of mourning may be observed in this small North Carolina community of 1000. . The loss of Lydia Rountree through graduation will be sort of a disaster for Elm City's sports fans. Ever since her freshman year, when she averaged I 0 points per game for the basketball team and won a state title in track, Lydia has been regarded as one of North Carolina's top female athletes.

The list of her accomplishments in three years of high school competition prior to the 1976-77 season speaks for itself. Now in her senior year, the pride of Elm City appears to be in the midst of her most sensational year yet.

"There is no question that Lydia is one of the finest female athletes in the state," says her basketball and track coach, Eddie Summerlin. "She's also one of the best clutch athletes I've ever seen or been associated with, and that's important for her future."

For three straight years, Rountree has won the girls sectional track titles in the I 00 and 220 yard dashes. Her only state title was in the I00 yard dash her frosh PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

year; during her sophomore and junior years she was runnerup in both sprints to Olympian Kathy McMillian. But with McMillan now in college, Lydia is the heavy favorite to win both state sprint titles this spring. "Her best time in the hundred is 10.6, and she has clocked 24.3 in the 220 yard dash," says her coach.

Lydia has never lost in either event in a regular season meet, and in both 1974 and 1975 she won the North Carolina Junior Olympics in her age group in both sprints.

In 1975, Lydia won the regionals in the 100 and was one of 15 finalists at the nationals in Ithaca, New York. However, even though her track record is impressive, basketball is her love and will probably be her ticket to college.

"She's being recruited heav.ily by several schools already," Summerlin notes. "She's still unsure of where she would like to go, but she's a good student and definitely wants to go to college. I feel sure she can play for any college team."

Girls basketball is "big time" in North Carolina. Lydia Rountree has been the leader of the fine, fast-breaking Elm City five which last year reached the quarterfinals of the state tournament with no starter over 5-7 in height. At 5-6, 135pounds, Lydia averaged 20.7 points per game from her forward position, led the Vikings through a 23-2 season, and grabbed II rebounds and dished out six assists per outing.

An all-conference selection her freshman, sophomore and junior years, the

Greensboro Daily News named Lydia to their I0-girl all-state team, one of three underclassmen picked. The Wilson Daily¡ Times accorded her with Player of the Year honors from a 14-school area. She scored 30 or more points several times, and against Roxboro-Person last year in the district finals, Lydia fired in 37 points to lead Elm City to victory.

"She could have averaged more last year, but in most games she never played in the fourth quarter because we were so far ahead," her coach claims. "We've taken her out in the third quarter several times when she had 30 points, or more."

With four starters from last year's team returning, Elm City¡ was off to another fast start in North Carolina girls basketball. The Vikings had put together an unbeaten mark before the Christmas_ break with Rountree averaging over 20 points per game, as usual.

Also, for the last few years Lydia has played on a city league softball team nearby in Wilson, and in two years her team lost only one game while Lydia batted .690 at the plate.

"Lydia is a fine athlete," concludes Summerlin. "But more important she's a winner. She's very unselfish and does what it takes to win. What more can a coach ask for? She's at her best under pressure."

But the town of Elm City will probably be at its worst on the June day when their favorite star graduates. However, their loss will definitely be another school's â&#x20AC;˘ gain.

A gifted athlete. Elm City's talented player has averaged over 20 points per game while leading the Vikings in almost every category. Opposing schools will be glad to see her graduate.

Speed is the name of the game, and Lydia has run 700 yards in 10.6 seconds, making her tough to defend against on the basketball court, or in any sport.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

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Marple Newtown Heads The Field

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Headed by Olympian Jill Sterkel, a sophomore from Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, California, an assault on the record books in girls swimming is virtually assured and the team to do the most damage could very well be Marple Newtown High of Newtown Square,. Pennsylvania.

By Bob Floyd

Without the added incentive of the Olympics one might assume that the caliber of girls high school swimming would diminish in 1977. However, with a return of every record breaker of 1976, headed by Olympian Jill Sterkel, a sophomore from Wilson High School in Hacienda Heights, California, an assault on the record books is virtually assured.

Of the top 20 swimmers in each event from last year, underclasswomen dominated from top to bottom. While California dominates the boys rankings, (National Prep Sports, Feb.-March, 1977), the girls listings should be one that is equally distributed from coast to coast.

Since 1965, when records were first kept, the growth.of girls high school swimming has been phenomenal. That first AllAmerica team represented only four states, Florida, Kentucky, Oregon and Pennsylvania. Last year, over half of the 50 states were represented, featuring 134 different schools with applications being received from almost every state in the union and including Alaska and the Canal Zone.

Here are some of the top contenders for this 1977 season, based on their performances of last year.

200 Yd. Medley Relay Predicting the top relays is impossible for this year since there was no way to determine the number of returning members. Based on past performances, a strong run at top honors should come from perenPREP

I

APRIL-MAY 1977

nial national record holder Pine Crest School of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Other teams to keep an eye on are Radnor, Pennsylvania, with both Sue and Ann Cosgarea back for another year: Tustin, California, returning all four of their 14th place relay members from a year ago, and East Lansing, Michigan, which achieved 19th place last year with freshmen Romi Richards and Keli Emerson, and sophomores Jan Piper and Wendy ¡Pratt.

200 Yd. Freestyle Although not ranked in the top 20 last year, one of the big surprises could come from sophomore Evi Kosenkranius of Newport, Washington. Miss Kosenkranius has already achieved a I :52.74 this year. Attaining the top spot will not be easy though as the number two and three

girls from last year will be back to challenge this year. Nancy H uddock, a senior from Penncrest, Pennsylvania, ranked number two a year ago, and Olympian Brenda Borgh, a junior from Marple Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, ranked number three, should make things interesting continued

1977 Pre-Season National High School Girls Swimming Team Rankings

'. Newtown Square Marple Newtown, Pa. 2. East Lansing, Michigan 3. Ft. Washington Upper Dublin, Pa. 4. Ft. Lauderdale Pine Crest, Fl. 5. Houston Clear Lake, Texas 6. Livonia Stevenson, Michigan 7. Winter Park, Florida 8. Mercersburg Prep, Pa. 9. Mission Viejo, California 10. Bellevue Newport, Washington Comp1leci by National Prep Sports Network, 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85014.

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The . Cham-pions.

A swimmer is a peculiar breed; always at war with the clock, the pain, and the doubts in his own mind. Often a pool is filled with swimmers, but the real com-. petitor is alwa~s alone with the water, the chlorine, the clock and the pain. _ The champiOn has both the talent and the competitive drive to punish his body· m an endless race to beat the clock. He swims through. pain barriers, his limbs numb", his eyes blurred, his mind often· reduced to instinctive commands through . . years o~ training. Only a swimmer or a runner knows the agony one-tenth of a se~o_nd 1mproveme~t brings. Each stroke is designed to provide optimum pull and mm1mum body resistance. Each turn must be perfectly timell and executed. Each start and each finish must be timed to·split-second perfection.

The champion is at war with his own mind. Doubts and fears must be eliminated,. All of h.is aarenalin ·must be channeled· into positive thinking and mechamcal perfectiOn. No thought .of fear or pain can be allowed to deter his effort. The liours of training must be forgotten. All skills must be put together in one tremendous effort. When a competitor defeats not only his adversaries but also his own doubts and fears, he becomes a true champion in the minds of all.

All America loves a winner, but there should be no stigma attached to losing when one has given his best. Being number one is the dream of all athletes. Yet there is another kind of winner, perhaps dearer to a coach's heart than all th~ number ones put together. This wiriner is the athlete who works as hard as number one but never quite makes it to the pinnacle of success. He never gives up; he knows defeat but is never defeated. He never -knows the acclamation of a god, but maybe that is why a coach loves him the most. He is like you and me, always trying, but never quite making it, determined, human, and forever humble. in this middle distance event. Others ex-. pected to improve on their times from last year. are Coleen Falbo of Coconut Creek, Florida, senior; Cyndi' McCullam, a senior from Mercer Island, Washington; and sophomore Kim Black from Alta Lorna, .

California.

Gayle Hegel of Washington Township High in Sewell, New Jersey.

Lori Ryder, Coral Gables, Florida

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100 Yd. Butterfly With almost all of the·top flyers from· last year gone through graduation, this event is the most wide-open of the eleven events. Holly Pate of Tokay High in -Lodi, California, would seem to have the inside track to the top spot again this year as· she is the only returnee to -break 58 seconds (57.6) last year. Kim Shettle, a senio.r from Baltimore Maryland's Perry Hall High placed eighth a year ago with 58.5, and could challenge Miss Pate with a good effort. Others with a chance to move into the top ·ten include N ancy·Henry of North Hills High in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Leslie Rhodes~· a junior from Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii; and Cynthia Leigh of Pine Crest School, 'Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

50 Yd. Freestyle In the first of the .sprint events, Olym100 Yd. Freestyle pian Jill Sterkel from Wilson High .in In the second ofthe sprints, the 100Hacienda Heights will be hard pressed to yard freestyle· could be a repeat of the 50retain her number one ranking, as· Vir- . free. Off her performance in the Olymginia Allen of South Broward High in pics, Jill Sterkel would .have to be the pro-· Hollywood, Florida, the former.. record hibitive favorite. With two additional turns holder, will be out to regain the top spot in and ten yards shorter going from the her senior year. Miss Sterkel, a freshman Olympic distance of 100 meters to the high last year, and Miss Allen· were the only school distance of 100 yards, Virginia girls to break 24.0 seconds last year as they · Allen could close the gap. If Barbara achieved times of 23.4 and 23.8 respecHarris of Lincoln, Nebraska, picks this tively. With such gir.ls as Barbara Harris of event.to swim.instead of the fly, then the Lincoln, Nebraska, and Kathy Garrison of competition could tighten up. Coming out Peninsula High in Gig Harbor, Washingof the d~ep south, Lee Ann Myers of Berry ton, just a stroke behind, the 22 second 50High School in Birmingham, Alabama, yard freestyle by a girl may be just around (with a 52.6 last year) could place as a con·the corner. tender in the top five.

200 Yd. Individual Medley The 200 yard I.M. is probably the most competitiv.e of all the events as many of the top 20 girls return from a yeali:ago: Heading the list should be Sue Bird; a junior this year . from Miraleste High School in Rancho Palos Verdes·, California, who set a new national record with a time of 2:06.660 a year ago. Sophomore Jan Ujevich, Center Area High, Monaca, Pennsylvania, only two-tenths of a second behind Miss Bird last year, and Renee.

Magee, only six-tenths of a second- behind Miss Bird in '76, should provide interest~ ing competition. Others capable of mov- Diving No attempt will be made.to .rank the ing into contention for the top spot appear to be Diane Johnson from Walnut, Cali- divers since their method of selection to the fornia, and a pair of sophomores: Ann AH America team is being completely reCosgarea, Radnor, Pennsylvania, and vised this year. In the past the state cham-

48

pions were almost automatically named All-America if the ca-liber of diving was reported to be at least satisfactory.-· This year, films of all applicants will have-to be submitted to the AII~America selection committee to be ·reviewed by a panel of judges. This should bring about a higher quality of selection.

500 Yd. Freestyle The 500 yard freestyle, the longest event in the high school program, seems destined to belong to one girl. Brenda Borgh, a junior out of Pennsylvania's Marple Newton High School, clocked a 4: 17.20 and a 6th place finish in the 400 meter freestyle in the Montreal Olympics - for the metric equivalent of this event. · With the number one placing and a new national record of 4:56.61, Miss Borgh was only one of three returnees to break the five minute barrier last year. Erin Greer of Edison High; Huntington Beach, California, and Coleen Falbo, Coconut Creek High, Florida, with times of 4:57.64 and 4:59.99 respectively, should make the battle for the top spot a truly national one.

Evi Kosenkranius, Newport High, Bellevue, Washington, and Kim Back of Alta .

Lorna, California, could be a pair of dark horses since each was at the five minute

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

mark as freshmen a year ago.

I 00 Yd. Backstroke

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As in the 500 yard freestyle, the dorsal event returns the number one girl, a member of the Olympic team and the national record holder in Renee Magee of Clear Lake High in Houston, Texas. The fight to retain the top spot will not be an easy one though, as the number two girl from a year ago also returns: Chris Breedy, a teammate of Olympian distance swimmer, Brenda Borgh, at Newton Square, Marple Newton High, Pennsylvania, was only seven one-hundredths of a second behind Renee Magee's 58.94, with a 59.01 clocking. Senior Kim Shettle of Baltimore's Perry Hall High could make it a three way race as she also cracked the one minute barrier in '76. Newcomer Tenley Fisher, a sophomore out of Omaha Burke, Nebraska, could surprise.

100 Yd. Breaststroke Jan Ujevich, a freshman last year from Center Area High, Monaca, Pennsylvania, returns to defend her number one ranking and national record of a year ago.

Miss Ujevich will not find the challenge taken lightly as Erin O'Beirne of Coronado, California, also broke the old re. cord in achieving her second place, and she will also be back for another year. Among those expected to come close to these two are Ann Habernigg, Wilson High, Port, land, Oregon; Maureen Dolan, Nova High, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida; and Pam Shettle, Perry Hall High, Baltimore, Maryland.

400 Yd. Freestyle Relay Once again no attempt will be made to rank the relays since an adequate breakdown on the returning members from a year ago was too difficult to obtain. Off their individual performances, the teams with the best chance to break into the top H) seem to be Marple Newton of Newton Square and Upper Dublin of Ft. Washington, both from the Keystone state of Pennsylvania. From Texas, look for Clear Lake High of Houston (the number one team of a year ago) to again field a strong spring quartet. Mission Viejo, California; Peninsula High of Gig Harbor, Washing-

ton; and East Lansing, Michigan, always field strong relays, and '77 should be no exception.

Team Outlook With the talent of top girls swimmers being evenly distributed throughout the country, any attempt to predict the top teams of '77 is almost a lesson in futility, but here goes anyway. Defending mythical national champion, Upper Dublin High School of Ft. Washington, Pennsylvania, should once again be in contention for the top spot, but it is this writer's opinion that one or two teams that were runners-up last year will emerge on top when the water settles down. Marple Newton of Newton Square, Pennsylvania, or East Lansing, Michigan, have the best chance to pull off an upset off early season results. Other strong teams should be fielded by Mission Viejo, California; Newport High in Bellevue, Washington; Lincoln High, Nebraska; Winter Park High, Winter Park, Florida; and Pine Crest School and Nova High of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.

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1977 Top Contenders 1:52.2 1:52.7 1:53.7 1:53.8 1:54.1 1:54.5 1:55.4 1:55.4 1:55.5 1:55.6

200 YARD FREESTYLE ............. Nancy Huddock, Penncrest, Pennsylvania . Brenda Borgh, Newtown Square Marple Newtown, Pa. ................. Coleen Falbo, Coconut Creek, Florida .. Bonnie Jean Glasgow, Severn Glen Burnie, Maryland ....... Erin Greer. Huntington Beach Edison, California ................ Kathleen Hemmer, Lake Forest, Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marjie Ertler, Winter Park, Florida . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi McCullam, Mercer Island, Washington ...................... Kim Black, Alta Loma, Calfornia ...... Evi Kosendranius, Bellevue Newport, Washington

50.7 52.2 52.6 52.7 52.7 52.8 52.8 52.9 53.1 53.2

2:07.6 2:07.8 2:09.4 2:09.5 2:09.6 2:10.0 2:10.1 2:10.5 2:10.6 2:10.8

200 YARD INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY . Susan Bird, Rancho Palos Verdes Miraleste, California ....... Jan Ujevich, Monaca Center Area, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Johnson, Walnut, California ................. Ann Cosgarea, Radnor, Pennsylvania Gayle Hegel, Sewell Washington Township, New Jersey ................. Molly Baer, Madison West, Wisconsin ........... Kim Shettle, Baltimore Perry Hall, Maryland ............. Kim Carlisle, Tallahassee Lincoln, Florida .. Diane Girard, Ashville T.C. Roberson, North Carolina .................. Gale Pulsifer, Shoreline, Washington··

4:56.6 4:57.6 4:59.9 5:00.4 5:00.8 5:02.8 5:03.0 5:06.0 5:06.0 5:06.8

100 YARD FREESTYLE ......... Jill Sterkel, Hacienda Heights Wilson, California .......... Jill Berlin, New Orleans O.P. Walker, Louisiana . . . . . . Kathy Garrison, Gig Harbor Peninsula, Washington ............ Lee Ann Myers, Birmingham Berry, Alabama . . . . . . . . Virginia Allen, Hollywood South Broward, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nancy Huddock, Penncrest, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Harris, Lincoln, Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . Elizabeth Lutz, Dallas Lake Highlands, Texas ......................... Mary Lou Ott, Tustin, California ......... Grace Meyer, Ft. Washington Upper Dublin, Pa. 500 YARD FREESTYLE . Brenda Borgh, Newtown Square Marple Newtown, Pa. ....... Erin Greer, Huntington Beach Edison, California ................. Coleen Falbo, Coconut Creek, Florida ...... Evi Kosenkranius, Bellevue Newport, Washington ...................... Kim Black, Alta Loma, California .......... C. Weinkofsky, Ocean Township, New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . Cyndi McCullam, Mercer Island, Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Marjie Ertler, Winter Park, Florida . . . . . . . Mary Harris, Jacksonville Bolles School, Florida ..................... Lori Ryder, Coral Gables, Florida

23.4 23.8 24.0 24.1 24.4 24.4 24.4 24.5 24.5 24.6

50 YARD FREESTYLE ......... Jill Sterkel, 'Hacienda Heights Wilson, California . . . . . . . . Virginia Allen, Hollywood South Broward, Florida .......... Jill Berlin, New Orleans O.P. Walker, Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbara Harris, Lincoln, Nebraska ...... Kathy Garrison, Gig Harbor Peninsula, Washington ........ Elizabeth Ann Lutz, Dallas Lake Highlands, Texas ......................... Mary Lou Ott, Tustin, California ............ Lee Ann Myers, Birmingham Berry, Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . Ann Marie Milling, Mobile St. Paul, Alabama ...... Debby Campbell, Ft. Washington Upper Dublin, Pa.

100 YARD BACKSTROKE 58.9 ................. Rene Magee, Houston Clear Lake, Texas 59.0 .... Chris Breedy, Newtown Square Marple Newtown, Pa. 59.6 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Shettle, Baltimore Perry Hall, Maryland 1 :00.1 ............ Carol Eggers, Livonia Stevenson, Michigan 1:00.2 ................. Molly Baer, Madison West, Wisconsin 1 :00.2 ..... Sharon Flaherty, Kensington Holy Cross, Maryland 1:01.0 ......... Meg McCully, St. Petersburg Catholic, Florida 1:01.0 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Meg Hoeflich, South Eugene, Oregon 1:01.1 ...... Carrie Hutt, Kensington Albert Einstein, Maryland 1:01.3 ......... Kelly Peyton, Portland David Douglas, Oregon

57.6 58.5 58.6 58.8 58.8 58.8 58.9 59.0 59.1 59.1

100 YARD BUTTERFLY ...................... , Holly Pate, Lodi Tokay, California ............. Kim Shettle, Baltimore Perry Hall. Marvland ....... Nancy Henry, Pittsburgh North Hills, Pennsylvania ........ Leslie Rhodes, Honolulu Punahou School, Hawaii ........ Cynthia Leigh, Ft. Lauderdale Pine Crest, Florida ...................... Tina Weisel, lnglmoor, Washington .... Chris Breedy, Newtown Square Marple Newtown, Pa. ............. Marcia Shearer, Louisville Ballard, Kentucky ................. Jill Fletcher, Knoxville Doyle, Tennessee ............. Misty Black, Birmingham Vestavia. Alabama

1 :06.1 1 :06.5 1 :06.8 1 :07.9 1:08.1 1:08.2 1:08.2 1:08.3 1:08.8 1:08.9

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

100 YARD BREASTSTROKE . . . . . . . . Jan Ujevich, Monaca Center Area, Pennsylvania ................... Erin O'Beirne, Coronado, California ..... Tina Ann Camilli, Fair Oaks Del Campo, California .................... Shelley Preston, Medford, Oregon .............. Ann Habernigg, Portland Wilson, Oregon .......... Maureen Dolan, Ft. Lauderdale Nova, Florida ........... Pam Shettle, Baltimore Perry Hall, Maryland .............. Megan Ward, Baltimore Seton, Maryland ................. Kathy Kooser, Wheaton North, Illinois ........ Sally Winde, Ellicott City Mt. Hebron, Maryland

49

CLUB ATLETICOS Hoping To Change Tradition The quality of Latin American baseball players in the major leagues is unquestioned. Strangely, one Spanish-speaking baseball hotbed which has moved little of its talent northward is Mexico. Club Atleticos, a touring Mexican national bas.eball team from Tijuana, Baja California, hopes to change that someday soon.

By Steve Guss T.e quality of Latin American baseball players in the major leagues today is unquestioned. There are so many from Cuba, Puerto Rico,' the Dominican Republic, Panama and Venezuela that name pronunciation and interviews are becoming a problem.

Strangely, one Spanish-speaking baseball hotbed which has moved little of its talent northward is Mexico. Even the Mexican League, which has AAA status, lacks the prestige of similar minor league systems stateside.

Hoping to change all that in time is a 25-year-old San Diego businessman, Steve Randel. Randel is manager of Club Atleticos, a touring Mexican national baseball team associated with the Instituto Tecnologico in Tijuana, Baja California.

The team, composed of players ages 16

50

to 18, will play a 14-game exhibition schedule in California and Nevada this spring against American high school teams. The trip has the blessing of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA), the National Federation of State High School Associations and the.

United States Baseball Federation.

"Those schools will hit the ball further and throw a lot harder than our kids, but we won't be intimidated," said Randel.

Noting that the U.S. teams will be exposed to what he calls "barrio baseball", Randel explained that "Mexican kids start playing ball right out of the diaper stage.

They're quick and aggressive and know how to force teams into making mistakes."

Randel and Javier Melendrez, director of player personnel, organized Club

Club Atleticos' starting pitchers for two month tour of California and Nevada, L-R, Sergio Merigo, Juan Saludes, pitching coach Javier Melendrez, Roberto Lopez and Francisco Medina. (William Bible photo)

Atleticos in the summer of 1975 after becoming discouraged that a lot oftalent in Mexico goes undiscovered because of an ineffective major league scouting system south of the border. So, instead of waiting for the scouts to come to him, Randel brings his material to them.

The first trip last year, however, was expensive, embarrassing and comical. "We blew over $300 going to Yuma only to be ambushed by a Babe Ruth All-Star team, most of them high school graduates," recalled Melendrez. "They whipped us like a dog before over 2,000 fans at Desert Sun Stadium. But now we'd love to get them back."

Then there was the time last March when the Mexicans were holding their own against tough Sparks High School in Reno, Nevada, only to be beaten by the weather. "The temperature dropped to 38 degrees around the third inning and I was so cold my whole body felt numb," said the team's first baseman, Sergio Merigo. The game was called after four innings to be continued the next day. But that night it snowed. "Mother Nature wasn't very nice to us," said Randel. "We drove 10 hours each way in a rented mini-bus, and the highlight of the trip was a free tour through an antique car museum."

Club Atleticos has had some bright moments. Last July they routed the American Legion Post 258 team in National City, California, 10-0, chasing all-CI F pitcher Wally Hurst in the fifth inning.

The team also has its characters. Outfielder Rosario Melendrez, only 5-5 and 140 pounds, barely escaped an early shower in one game after kicking dirt on the first base umpire. "He said I went around on a pitch and called a strike on the appeal. I wanted to let him know how I felt about it," said Melendrez. Temperamental Finto Saludes, the club's top pitcher, is another unpredictable sort who once instigated a dispute which emptied both benches in a game with Eagle Rock, California. Saludes says he's changed since then. "I don't want to get upset like a kid anymore. I try to do the best I can because we're good and we have a reputation to defend."

The team's most heralded prospect is Gilberta Castenada, an 18-year-old third PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

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baseman who's already had a tryout with Reynosa ,in the Mexican League. "I want to play pro ball, but only in the United States," said Castenada. "Maybe I'm not ready to step into a major league uniform yet, but I know I can play as well as anyone in the American minor leagues."

Merigo was the youngest player to be selected to the Baja California national amateur team, and 16-year-old outfielder Ricardo Velez runs the 100-yard dash in under 10 seconds. Sergio Salinas, also 16, is one of the squad's top hitters.

Club Atleticos players come from the Liga Municipal in Tijuana. The team has improved greatly since Randel put it together. Last May, the lnstituto Tecnologico club (composed mostly of Club Atleticos players) finished second to Durango in the 29-state institutional tournament in Vera Cruz. This year's tourney will be in Aguascalientes, and with a 14-game exhibition schedule under its belt, I nstituto Tecnologico could be the team to beat in the big Mexican baseball event.

Mike Port, minor league administrator for the San Diego Padres has termed Randel's program "super". He indicated that his scouts "were going to keep an eye ---,_on those kids".

- .. Club Atleticos players have uniforms similar to those worn by the Oakland A's - green shirts with a big gold "A", gold pants and even white shoes. Although Randel noted that none of his athletes sported the mustaches some former Oakland players were known for, his team hopes to continue the winning tradition established by that major league club.

The Club Atleticos schedule includes the following games, half or which have been completed: Salesian High School in Los Angeles, February 18; Big Bear Lake High School in Yucaipa, California, February 23: Calexico High School in Calexico, California, February 25; Garfield High School in Los Angeles, March 5; Gonzales High School in Gonzales, California, March 11-12: Salinas High School in Salinas, California, March 12: Marian High School in Imperial Beach, California, March 15: Holtville High School in Holtville, California, March 29: Borrego Springs High School in Borrego Springs, California, April 2: Sparks High School, Sparks, Nevada (doubleheader in Tijuana), April 5: and Sparks High school in Sparks, Nevada, April 15-16. e

Pitcher Finto Saludes once instigated a dispute which emptied both benches in a game with Eagle Rock, California: "I don't want to get upset like a kid anymore. I try to do the best I can because we're good and have a reputation to defend."

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Sergio Merigo, the youngest player to be selected to the Baja, California, national amateur team, reflects on their game with Reno Sparks, Nevada: "The temperature dropped to thirty-eight degrees in the third inning. I was so cold my whole body felt numb." (William Bible photo) The team's mosr heralded prospect is 18year old third ,baseman Gilberta Castenada: "I want to play professional baseball, but only in the United States."

Training Tip:

Problems In Sports Medicine

By Dr. Paul Steingard Team Physician

NBA Phoenix Suns IVA Phoenix Heat

n~fferent

Just like the boys. girls need proper coaching for warming-up prior to any athletic event.

Although most sprinters can run faster in shorts than warm-up gear, in weather such as this. it probably would have been safer for each girl to compete in her warm-ups. (Pete Schwepker photo)

52

sports, of course, require the musculoskeletal system ¡of the body to be used in different fashions. As such, new problems arise that cannot be treated in the same fashion as with other sports. We thought that it might be interesting to go over some of the most frequently asked questions relative to spring sports: Q) I'm a baseball pitcher and have heard conflicting reports about weight lifting.

Some people say it is good for me, others say it will hurt me. What do you think?

A) Most authorities agree that weight lifting used judiciously and properly can help shoulders and arms of pitchers. Dr. Karl Klein of the University of Texas and anational authority on conditioning and training reports the following: when he worked with the University of Texas baseball team, he never had a sore arm pitcher who worked with weights. It is important, however, that the weight program be supervised by people who know how to use weight programs in a scientific and judicious fashion. I might add that weight lifting is only one type of program. Weight training programs with the Nautilus or Universal systems can be effective.

(Recently, Steve Carlton of the Phillies achieved great success utilizing the Nautilus system.) I leave it to another issue to discuss the pros and cons of which works best.

Q) I have continued shoulder pain when I play baseball but no diagnosis has been made. It does not limit my ability. Shall I continue playing?

Dr. Paul M. Steingard is team physician jar the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association and for a number ofhigh schools in the Phoenix area. Dr. Steingard is also Director of the Sports Medicine Clinic of Phoenix.

Arizona.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

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A) Pain is usually a sign that something is wrong. I suggest that you continue working with your doctor to find the answer. In young people with growth centers still not used, it is vitally important that pain be tracked down. Abnormal fusion of the growth centers can lead to permanent difficulty. "Little League elbows" and "Little League shoulders" have prematurely ended many promising careers.

Q) I am a sprinter and I have a problem with pulled muscles. How can I prevent this?

A) Recurrent muscle pulls definitely can be prevented. You must do stretching prior to working out. You must warm up gradually. You must develop your state of conditioning to the point where your muscles have "reserve" left. Recently there has been a lot of talk in track circles about being "in balance". What this refers to is having equal amount of stress on either side of the musculoskeletal structure rather than having too much stress on one side. I would suggest that if you continue to have difficulty you talk to your trainer or coach about the subject of "balance".

Ir

National Prep Magazine will have a Sports Medicine Column in all future issues. These are being provided by The Sports Medicine Clinic of Phoenix, Arizona. If you have a question or specific problem we will try to answer it. Address all questions to National Prep Sports, 4707 N. 12th St., Phoenix, Arizona 85014.

Q) Where can I get some coaching on weight events for women? I am very interested in shotput but I cannot get anybody to coach me because I am a girl.

A) Women coaches generally are few and far between. Do not give up though. If you have a local university, go there for help.

Because of new government regulations there will be much more money going into womens' sports, so be patient. Think about coaching as a career, and for that matter, athletic training.

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This brings us to the final subject for this issue. Since the original column in National Prep by Dennis Murphy" on "Athletic Training", we have gotten numerous letters asking about Sports Medicine as a career. I will try in the next few paragraphs to offer the options.

First of all, you can get into Sports Medicine by becoming a doctor. Fol-

lowing graduation from high school this requires four years of college, four years of osteopathic or medical school, and postgraduate residency training of three to five years. This is not as long as it sounds since these years are very exciting, interesting learning experiences and they seem to fly by. Most doctors in Sports Medicine are either in general practice or practice orthopaedic surgery.

Another way to get involved in Sports Medicine is through athletic training. Dennis Murphy, in his column, went into athletic training as a career at some length.

Not all universities, however, offer athletic training as a course, and it is important to find out what schools offer athletic training at the undergraduate level. There are a few schools that offer it as graduate courses. Most students taking athletic training are physical education or kinesiology majors. However, it is good to take another subject such as science as a minor.

This helps to get you into openings when physical education is filled. It is interesting to note that in taking the physical education requirements, most of the premedical requirements are covered so that the student really does have the option of changing his or her mind.

Physical therapy is another direction one can take to get involved in Sports Medicine. There are a number of universities offering a degree in physical therapy. However, it has been my impression that the people teaching physiotherapy do not look that kindly on people taking physiotherapy with the idea of getting into sports. Rather they are looking to train people for rehabilitation of chronic illness (such as stroke).

Another direction of Sports Medicine is toward the conditioning and testing area. Although my major interest is the clinical area, nevertheless, there is a tremendous number of people involved in studying physiology, biomechanics, and the basic subjects. These are almost all university based. It is interesting to note that a major¡portion of the membership of the American College of Sports Medicine is people involved in this area.

One final word - earlier in this article we alluded to women in sports. I think that a big area for women now and in the future is in coaching and training. But I think it will be essential also to have women as Sports Medicine doctors and physiologists.

That's all for now. See you in another issue. â&#x20AC;˘

Pain is usually a sign that something is wrong. "Little League elbows" and "Little League shoulders" have prematurely ended many promising careers, with the drop-out rate doubling in high school competition where improper coaching has taken place.

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Coaches' Corner

Curve Ball Progression Six Steps to Good Curve Ball Rotation

By JIM BROCK Head Baseball Coach Arizona State University Tempe, Arizona

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rre popularity of the slider is probably one of the main reasons a great number of good curve ball pitchers are not seen on the high school and college levels today. Many promising pitchers and their coaches simply give up on the classic curve ball too early. They become resultsoriented, pressured to get people out; therefore, they do not stress the basic curve ball fundamentals long enough to produce consistent results. They simply do not make sure the necessary procedures are mastered before going on to more advanced concepts.

It is difficult, or sometimes even impossible, to learn the curve ball fundamentals while throwing the slider or the "slurve." The slider often detracts from curve ball fundamentals even after these fundamentals have been mastered. The slider is a "lazyman's pitch" and will inevitably divert the pitcher's attention from the more difficult, but much more valuable, down-breaking curve ball. For this reason the fast ball, change-up, and downbreaking curve ball are the only pitches taught at Arizona State University.

It is felt that proper curve ball rotation can be learned through a series of drills designed to teach the fundamentals of this pitch. There is no mystery about the curve ball, it is simply a matter of imparting 12 to 6 o'clock rotation to a baseball. A basic feel is needed for what you are trying to do.

The pitcher must get down rotation; if he cannot get this rotation, and if it is not consistent rotation, he cannot become a good dependable curve ball pitcher.

To learn the fundamentals of good curve ball rotation, one must start with the real basics: Breaking down the correct arm action from release point backwards to in. elude the full arm action. A pitcher should move on to the advanced concepts only after mastering the basics of rotation described in the following drills.

As a senior at Seattle Kennedy, Washington, Floyd Bannister tied the national schoolboy ERA record for a season with a 0.00 mark.. A graduate of the following system, he's now with the Houston Astros.

RED LINE D R I L L - - - Ron Squire, former coach at Mount San Antonio Junior College, Walnut, California, came up with what he called 1the "TV drill", and it is the best way to begin learning the feel of good curve ball rotation. It is a mistake to move on until flipping the ball (as shown in Pictures 1-A and 1-B) is second nature to the pitcher.

This action, properly done, "draws" a red line with the perfect down rotation of the baseball's seams. Often one hears, "I can throw a curve ball, but I can't flip the ball like that." Perhaps so, but in my opinion, that kind of shortcut can lead to an inconsistent curve ball - the kind of curve ball where he is "hoping for the best." If it doesn't hang at the wrong time, maybe you win; but if it does hang at a key

time, you get beat. In this "red hne" drill, one should be able to hear the actual snap of the finger, as really, all that's being done is the snapping of the fingers with the ball between the thumb and index finger.

TEN-YARD FLIP _ _ _ __ After mastering consiste11t rotation in the red line drill, move on to the second drill. In this, the pitcher appties the same ¡ finger snap only he flips the ball. to another player about 10 yards away. When the ball rotates correctly, he can see the red line as the ball loops to his partner. Remember to look for the same red line from seam rotation as in the first drill.

TENNIS BALL C A N - - - ¡ Drill three in the progression promotes learning the feel of an overhand

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

curve ball released by tossing a taped tennis-ball can. This drill should be performed with arm, wrist, and hand locked in the curve ball release position, and then the arm is recoiled 6 to 12 inches, just before moving forward for release. Picture 3-A shows the correct release position.

Fundamentals to stress include pointing the elbow toward home plate and keeping

it as high as possible at release. The wrist is bent down, as shown in Picture 3-B, to produce the perfect down spin. The pitcher tries to draw a rainbow with the flight of the can, imparting as much spin as possible while limiting the velocity (as shown in Picture 3-C). The arm, wrist, and hand action is exactly the same as when releasing a curve ball with a baseball, only he is

gripping the end of the can. It is fairly easy to increase the consistency and amount of rotation through practice. One problem with the can drill is that some of the more results-oriented players will be able to get good-looking rotation without the proper arm action, but you can be sure that correct release will always produce perfect rotation.

LOCKED RELEASE----

the pitching arm should be locked in release position, as in the previous drill. The thrown ball should rotate as many times as possible, but make a soft landing in the tub. The coach can stand behind the pitcher or the screen to evaluate the rotation.

process. Pictures 5-A and 5-B illustrate "wrapping" and "cocking"; both are fundamental flaws. "Wrapping" the curve ball is cocking the wrist during the reachback, and "cocking" is dropping the elbow and "short-arming" the curve ball just before release. Drill 5 will help combat these by stressing proper fast ball arm action with the curve ball adjustment coming just before the point of release. The pitcher should be thinking "fast ball, fast ball, fast ball", then "curve ball" as the arm gets overhead. Also, alternating the

Needed for the fourth drill is a regular size wash tub and an 8-foot screen (as in Picture 4-A). Place the wash tub six feet behind the screen. The pitcher then throws from 30 feet in front of the screen. He throws over the screen with the high trajectory in order to land the ball in the tub.

This forces the pitcher to toss a soft rainbow, while stressing the same low velocity and high rotation used with the tennis-can drill. He should stand with his feet set apart as when landing in his stride. Also, ---

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FULL ARM ACTION---¡ Drill 5 adds the full-arm action from this same type of foot placement using the screen and tub set-up.

Two foes of the good breaking pitch will show up at this point in the learning

continued

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Curve Ball fast ball with the curve ball when working on curve ball fundamentals will help the pitcher avoid "cheating" to get good rotation.

UP HILL S L O P E - - - - 111 Drill 6 the same tub is utilized, but the pitcher places his striding foot on the top of the mound on an up-side-down bucket, with his pivot foot on the level ground behind the mound (as shown in Picture 6-A). He then delivers a soft rainbow to the wash tub placed 50 or 60 feet away. The uphill foot placement forces the pitcher to keep his elbow up and forward, and also enables him to learn the difficult concept of staying on top of the curve ball.

Again, good down rotation is helpful in landing the ball in the tub. The possibility for proper rotation is increased with this drill as it forces exaggerations of the vital curve ball fundamentals.

Anytime a pitcher has a breakdown and loses good rotation, most likely his arm action and release are not fundamentally sound. By using suggested drills in pre-game warm-ups and form work on off days, he over learns these concepts and decreases the chances of a breakdown of these important techniques when under pressure.

This six-step learning and over learning progression for curve ball rotation should be followed by regular work on the breaking pitch with a catcher. Several points need to be stressed about these practice sessions. First, proper follow-through needs to be emphasized. The coach should

check and encourage the exaggeration of the throwing shoulder to opposite knee concept. This will serve as an. excellent indicator of the amount of pull-down necessary to produce good rotation on the curve ball.

During the curve ball learning stages, the pitcher should alternate fast ball and curve ball and should break the curve ball into the dirt. Most young pitchers hesitate in breaking the curve ball down that low during practice; and to avoicl bruises, catchers usually apply great social pressure to encourage the pitcher to get the ball up out of the dirt. Unfortunately, the learning process is speeded up only when the pitcher works on rotation by bouncing the curve ball, then gradually adjusting into the lower half of the strike zone while keeping the same consistent release. It is extremely difficult to get classic rotation on a pitch above the waist, so starting high and adjusting down just will not work.

Perfecting the curve ball to the point of having three or four speeds, different arm angles and various adjustments in the wrists is not necessary or wise. Most pitchers will be better off if they master one speed and one release angle that is best for them and then groove it. Actually, only two breaking pitches - a "strike" curve . ball and a "strike-out" curve ball - are needed. These two curve balls are thrown with the same release and speed, but the "strike-out" curve ball is used when ahead in the count and the pitcher can afford to · break the ball at the knees or lower on the outside "black" of the plate. For the "strike" curve ball, he will need confidence that can be gained by using sound, repeatable fundamentals that have been

Jim Brock has been Head Baseball Coach at Arizona State University for only live years, and he is already reputed to be one of the nation's finest college coaches. During the past eight years, live of his teams have finished at

least second nationally and two other teams finished third. Two of his clubs won national junior college championships, two were N.C.A.A. runners-up, and one was a national juco runner-up. · .

In live years at Arizona State, Brock's teams have won over 82 percent of their games (288 of 349). His first Sun Devil club was 64-4 in 1972, and his 1973 team was 59-8. His 1975 club was 61-13 and his 1976 club was 65-10.

The live year achievement of two second place and two third place finishes establishes the ASU program as the nation's most successful major college baseball team over that period.

No teams in college history have won more games in a single season. ASU was rated first throughout the 1972, 1973 and 1976 seasons.

Brock received the Adirondack Big Stick Award in 1972, which is presented to the National College Baseball Coach of the Year.

He was the National Junior College Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1971, and he was N.C.A.A. District 7 Coach of the Year in 1972, 1973, 1975 and 1976. The Phoenix Press Box Association nominated him for the Arizona Coach of the Year award seven times. an honor presented to him in.l973.

Brock came to Arizona State University in January 1972, after a highly successful six year tenure as the first baseball coa·ch in the history of Mesa (Arizona) Community College. His 1970 and 1971 teams won national junior college championships and were the rirst clubs to win back-to-back national juco baseball titles. Brock's 1969 Mesa team finished second in the national tournament.

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developed through intelligent practice. The pitcher can use this type of curve ball even when behind in the count. This pitch is down but clearly in the strike zone. This type of command of the curve ball is a must for success unless the pitcher has an over-powering fast ball.

Teaching the curve ball can be an enjoyable and rewarding experience for both the ·coach and pitcher. We have found th<\t the six-step curve ball progression really does aid in both the learning process and the winning process. e

From 1969 to 1971 Brock's teams were 10638. Since he began coaching in the mid 1950's, his teams have won 39 championships and have competed in nine national tournaments.

He has never coached a losing team.

In 1954, as an 18 year old, Brock first coached in the Phoenix area American Legion summer baseball program. During a six year period, his teams won five state championships, four regional crowns and one sectional title. In 1961, Brock's team won the American Legion World Championship. He taught at West Phoenix and Mesa High Schools, and his 1964 Mesa team won their district championship.

The ASU coach is a native Arizonan. born July 24. 1936 in Phoenix, He graduated from North Phoenix High in 1954 and from Phoenix College in 1956. In 1958, Brock graduated from Arizona State University with a physical education major and a history minor. One year later he received his M.A. in Education from ASU. Coach Brock needs only to write his dissertation in order to complete requirements for his Doctorate in Education. His field of study is educational administration and supervision, and his dissertation is an analysis of the structure of athletic administration. Both he and his wife Pat, are active at Grace Community Church in Tempe, where they have taught both high school and college age classes. Jim is a popular speaker at various Christian functions. They are the parents of two children, Cathi, 19, and Bucky, 14. Pat teaches in the Business Department at Scottsdale Community College.

56 PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

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The former Tech Memorial High School star of Erie, Pa.J capped his 12"' pro season by winning the MVP award in Super Bowl X I. A fours port prep star ~t Tech, Fred ¡ . earned aU-city honors in both football and ba51<etball in 1960. A 3-yrstar:, BiletniKoff led Erie foo-lballet-s in scoring with 115 pts and also p\ayed some. at QB. In basKetball) be played 3 seasons and was namat all-city his final year. He also won letters in baseball and tracK. At Flonda StateJ fred became. one of the. finest receivers in Seminole history. An All-American

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flanker in 1964, he. caught 57 passes for 987 yds and II TDs ) and earned MVP honor5- in the Gator Bowl after catching ~ lD passes in the Seminoles' win o~r 0\<lahoma.

The Raiders1 sensing the -talent of-this sure-handed receiver -from Pennsytvahia,made him their '2M-round pic" in the ,65 drafi:, and he has t>ecome one of the {lrj~at.est. rÂŤeivers to p\ay the game.

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COLLEGE BOUND First, let me congrf!tulate you on your endeavor to provide the sports consumer with a publication dedicated to the high school athlete, heretofore, an unmet need in sports publishing. In addition, in reading the second issue, I found the articles to be interesting, pertinent and done in quality fashion.

Second, I would like to provide some input as to what might be of interest to the general reader. I have.observed that anumber of publications named an annual AllAmerica High School Football Team; however, I have yet to find a source which follows up on the selections. Th?t is, it is easy to find out who the blue-chippers in the country are, but it is very difficult to find out where they go to college. I would suggest that you provide the reader with information as to where these Ali-Americans go to school, and perhaps which university had the best recruiting year. I feel this topic would be most informative to your readers.

Bill Loboda Holt, Michigan SMALLER SCHOOLS .

I agree with several letters published in the December-January issue indicating that "small schools" should be recognized for their achievements also. Hanover High School has won the Eastern Massachusetts Division Four championship four years in a row, was undefeated in over 40 consecutive games, and has lost just three games since 1969. This record has been compiled under three different head coaches. Recently the girls basketball team had their 100 game winning streak snapped.

I am not suggesting that Hanover's football team would win consistently against teams drawn from four to five times their student enrollment. But surely some national recognition would not be out of order.

Larry Kleine Hanover, Massachusetts

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Your coverage of football in your first issue was both informative as well as being well prepared. In my opinion you did an excellent job, but you didn't cover cross country, wrestling or skiing very much. It also appears to me that you don't seem to cover small or new schools very much. I know of a school in Denver, Colorado, called Smoky Hill, that has a well-known performing frosh cross country runner. They also have an excellent sophomore runner. Both of these outstanding athletes ran varsity level and placed somewhere in state. Smoky Hill also has an excellent track team. I now live in Anchorage, Alaska, and I also believe that most all Alaska schools are underestimated.

Alan W. Dettman Anchorage, Alaska

KANSAS CHAMPS I have just received the February-March edition of National Prep Sports Magazine and I want to thank you for the fine article written about our excellent baseball team at Southeast High School here in Wichita, Kansas. All the boys read the magazine and the well-deserved publicity through the printed media is one of the great ways to motivate our players.

Jim Deckinger Wichita, Kansas LOADED BATS I read Joe Namath's National Prep Sports Magazine, the December-January issue. I think the magazine is an excellent one, but I was disappointed with the national high school baseball rankings for 1976. In reading the article about Lakewood, I think you picked the right No. 1 team. but I am from West Palm Beach, Florida, and my high school's name is Forest Hill. Our record last year was 24-3 and we had a super team. I admit that we didn't get in the state playoffs. We were ripped off because we had a 14-0 conference record, playing in a tough conference, and after the season we had to play the same teams again. Teams we beat twice convincingly.

We used our number one pitcher in the first game and our number two pitcher had a sore arm. So we had to go with our number three pitcher against a team which had their bats loaded for this tournament. They won their first game something like 19-10. then jumped out to an 8-0 lead against Forest Hill. We couldn't quite make up all those runs and lost, 8-5. Our top three pitchers were John Wolfer (9-0 with a .46 ERA), Bob Garris (5-1 with a 1.62 ERA) and Ed Howser

(6-1 w1th a 1.32 ERA). All these pitchers have scholarships to Dade North Junior College in Miami. As you might know, it's one of the top baseball junior colleges in the nation.

We also had four .300 hitters: John Wolfer (.372). Ed Howser (.370), Bob Garris (.350) and Craig Gero (.309).

I would like to say this about your No. 7 ranked team, Miami Carol City. I saw them play twice last year and with our top pitchers throwing we wouldn't have had too much trouble with them. So, as far as I'm concerned, we should have been at least in the "Top 20". Also, last year's team Will be on a Legion team this year that should be excellent. The name of the team is Palm Beach Post No. 12. Watch for us in the American Legion World Series.

Bob Garris Miami, Florida TRIUMPHANT RETURN Congratulations on starting such a project as National Prep Sports. and I hope every article is as good as the one you published in your December-January issue on my good friend, Dawdy Hawkins ("Triumphant Return for Dawdy Hawkins"). I got acquainted with Dawdy back in 1964 when I traveled to Pekin to watch his eventual Illinois state champions of that year. A fine article like that in your national magazine by Dick Lien couldn't have happened to a better fellow. Keep up the good work, as your publication is very welcome here in Illinois.

Barney Ranstead Oak Lawn, Illinois POWER TRADITION I really enjoy your magazine, but don't agree with your choice of all-stars and "Top 20" basketball teams in your OctoberNovember issue. I feel you were mostly picking the West Coast over the East.

I would like to read about track more. I attend Power Memorial Academy in New York City. We have one of the finest track and basketball teams in the nation. Many fine athletes have gone to Power, like Bob Mischewis, the center-forward at Providence; Kareem Jabbar, one of the greatest players in the NBA; Matt Centrowitz, the number one high school miler in the country who was in the 1976 Olympics; and Maurice Weaver, a graduate last year who holds the national indoor flat board two-mile record of 9:04.

Larry Petty, now a 6-10 senior AllAmerican center for Power, led them as one of the finest teams in the nation last year. We have been state champs in track for two years in a row. I could go on forever about our fine Power tradition. I am presently cocaptain of the track team and feel we will carry on our fine tradition.

Joseph Maffia New York, New York MORE D.C. INK A magazine dealing with the coverage of high school athletics is truly a welcome addition for anyone who enjoys watching today's high school stars - tomorrow's pro stars. I myself receive a great satisfaction in watching childhood buddies, neighborhood athletes and the local athletes receive recognition for their skills and abilities in their respective sports.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

. . WHO WILL WIN THE FIRST NATIONAL JOE NAMATH CHEERLEADER AWARD? GRAND PRIZE: Whoever the outstanding cheerleader might be, she will win a $6,000 four-year scholarship ($1,500 each year) to the college or university of her choice.

OTHER PRIZES: An all-expense-paid trip to the 1977-78 Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City.

Complete personal wardrobe. including luggage- plus many beautiful gifts that will be treasured by the winner for years to come.

Your school will win

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use of a luxury station wagon for one year.

ADISTINGUISHED PANEL OF JUDGES: Joe Namath, quarterback, New York Jets.

Dick Clark, actor and national TV personality. and additional judges representing the worlds of beauty. sports and entertainment.

PLUS a panel of eight outstanding college cheerleaders.

HOW TO ENTER: Send a good black and white, or color, photograph of your school's most outstanding cheerleader with a complete biography including: name and address, age, height, school name. and address, name of cheerleader coach, hobbies, other school activities and important academic achievements, number of brothers and sisters, other personal information you deem interesting. All entries must be received by May 1, 1977.

Mail Biography and Photo to:

Joe Namath's National Cheerleader Contest 4707 North 12th Street Phoenix, AZ 85014

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I feel a lot more consideration should have been given to the Washington, D.C., high school basketball teams so far as rankings are concerned. In your Top 20 high school basketball teams, no D.C. team was even listed. This comes as a surprise to me considering the level of talent and tough competition which each team must face game after game. Many teams come into D.C. with very impressive won-lost records and highly touted players. These same teams leave with a greater respect and admiration tor the caliber of competition here.

The list of D.C. alumni playing on this year's collegiate basketball scene is endless. For the 1976-77 high school scene, your Top 20 could have featured teams such as Eastern High School wiih James Ratiff and Rod Wright, McKinley Tech with Gary Jordan and James Roache, or Archbishop Carroll featuring Steve Smith and Ray Harrison. These are just a few of the many teams which I feel could have easily qualified for rankings in National Prep Sports.

Robert Michaels Washington, D. C. OVERLOOKED We would like to point out that in your December-January issue of National Prep Sports you failed to include the South Umpqua High School baseball team in your baseball section. Their overall team record for the season was an outstanding 30-1.

With such a good record, the South Umpqua High School baseball team deserves recognition. We realize that you cover a lot of other teams and sports, and that mistakes can happen, and that a good baseball team like the one the Lancers had can occassionally be overlooked.

Terry Church Myrtle Creek, Oregon

Basketball '77

•AU-AMilllCA '11!AMS •HOCIIIY PRIYIEW

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•BASEBALL ROUNDUP

My only complaint about your national high school baseball rankings is your failure to rate an Arizona school. Schools like Sahuaro High here in Tucson and Apollo High in Phoenix, last year's state AAA champions. have good enough programs each year to merit more national recognition. Although Tucson High is no longer the national power in baseball they were for many years, I doubt if there is a high school in the country which could match their past records in baseball. I will be looking forward to more national baseball coverage, and don't forget about Arizona.

Richard Flood Tucson, Arizona BASEBALL COVERAGE I just wanted to say that I was delighted to see a copy of your new national high school magazine on the newsstand the other day here in Canada. A magazine on prep sports has been long overdue.

In particular, I enjoyed the article on the Lakewood High School baseball team, and the selection of your Top 20 baseball teams in the nation for 1976. Undoubtedly it will mean the continuance of more articles on prep baseball in the future, which is something I've been looking for tor several years now.

Allan Simpson Vernon, B.C., Canada I have never seen a magazine cover high school baseball on a national level like you did in your February-March issue. I don't know if your Top 20 teams are any good, or if your 300 best players are worth a nickel, but your publication is worth every bit of a dollar, and more, for covering high school baseball like you have.

Keep it up. I hope to see a final roundup after the season is over, just like you did with football and basketball. Baseball is one of America's greatest sports, yet the news media seldom covers any form of baseball besides the pros.

Johnny Alexander · Charleston, West Virginia MANY YOUNG MEN We thoroughly enjoy reading National Prep Sports magazine each month. Regarding your December-January edition, Ralph Tasker at Hobbs, New Mexico, has certainly made his mark on the basketball record books, but perhaps more importantly, he has had a wonderful influence on the lives of many young men.

Frank Brickey Salt Lake, Utah

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•TRAINING TIPS

THEIHSA I must commend you on your fine coverage of high school sports, something which has been lacking for sometime now. However, I must comment on something you printed in your February-March baseball issue. You stated that the Texas University Interscholastic League (UIL), organized in 1909, is the oldest of its kind in the nation.

If this is true, then the Illinois High School Association is the oldest in the United States. Set up in 1903, it enjoins 830 high schools in the state as members. The IHSA is just as comparable - if not better I thought your February-March Baseball . organized -than its Texas counterpart. The Preview edition was your best to date for the association was also the first in the nation to simple reason that I have never seen a pub- hire a full-time director.

Having the longest running state track lication anywhere which covered high school baseball like you did. The only magazines championships in the country (first was held which cover baseball come out each spring in 1893) and one of the oldest state basketand cover professional baseball only. I've ball tournaments (began in 1908), the IHSA holds state tournaments in 23 different never even seen a sports magazine cover colsports, producing 31 state championship lege baseball.

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• LEGEND OF DR.'

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teams. These facts alone should be enough to convince anyone that the IHSA is one of the finest associations of its kind in the country.

Ron K opezick Morris, Illinois NO.1 I would like to congratulate you on your new National Prep magazine. In your first issue you spotlighted the "Top 20" teams at pre-season, giving Cincinnati Moeller the No. 1 rating. During the 1976 football campaign, Moeller went undefeated (1 0-0) and gained a berth in the Ohio playoffs. Going into the playoffs they were ranked No. 1 by both AP and UPI polls. In their first game they played the No. 2 ranked Youngstown Cardinal Mooney team and had no trouble disposing of them, 48-0. In the championship game they met Gahanna Lincoln and beat them 43-5.

Moeller is the first AAA school to win back-to-back championships in Ohio since we started playoffs in 1972. Coach Gerry Faust has a 16-year record of 128-16-2. Cincinnati Moeller deserves to be the No. 1 high

(incin•oti Moeller No.I FOOTBAll PREVIEW • Nation's Top 20 Tetms ·Pn-S<!oso• AII-AIIll!tkaos

NATIONAL ROUNDUP ·Beys Boshtbolt ·Girls ll!JsketbDII •Hockey

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•Skiing CROSS COUNTRY PREVIEW

school team in America at post-season too.

Joseph W. Wilson Troy, Ohio COACH OF THE YEAR Having just retired from coaching cross country at Ellis High School where we won the Kansas state cross country championship in our class last fall, I really appreciated the article in your February-March issue about Verlyn Schmidt, the highly successful track and cross country coach at Shawnee Mission South in Overland Park, Kansas. Verlyn deserves the accolades and continues to do a super job with his young athletes in the Kansas City area.

Rocky Rorabaugh Ellis, Kansas 12 MILLION I just read the February-March issue of Prep Sports, and having coached high school baseball for 25 years I was very interested in the baseball section. However. I find it hard to believe that an area the size of Long Island, New York City, Westchester County and Northern New Jersey - a combined population of 12 million people does not have a high school baseball player who is not worthy of even honorable mention on your pre-season All-American list.

Alfred Jacklin Wantagh, New York

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PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

THESE FIVE.•.

...... ····"·•···· OFFER YOU THIS CHALLENGE!

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FOOTBALL STRATEGY YOU actually take over as Quarterback in FOOTBALL STRATEGY, called ... "best football game ever invented" by Sports Illustrated, December 11, 1961 ... "an honest-to-Pete challenge to the man who knows he would have been a great pro quarterback if only he had had the chance."

No spinners, no chance cards, no dials ... YOUR decisions alone determine the outcome of every play. FOOTBALL STRATEGY is not another computer freak, nor does it bog down in a sea of statistics. "It's the next best thing to being out there on the gridiron itself", chant many ex-pros who now content themselves recapturing former heroics over FOOTBALL STRATEGY. Play FOOTBALL STRATEGY- the most imitated board game on the market ... includes, as a bonus, the "Football Widow's Handbook", a humorously written manual of anecdotes and information telling the girlfriend what football is really all about. $10.00

a

44taBASEBALL STRATEGY Baseball has long since been the bestselling of indoor board games. And no game has captured the realism without the usual boredom of mechanics as has BASEBALL STRATEGY. Patterned after the award-winning matrix system of Football Strategy, YOU make all the decisions - all the way from pitcher, catcher and hitter to coach, manager and general manager. In fact, the player-cards are designed to allow you to assign real-life players if you wish to re-create a season of pro games. A bonus is an Official Rulebook that enables you to second-guess any umpire, coach, or manager. Get ready for Spring training Now- order BASEBALL STRATEGY today! $10.00.

BASKETBALL •

Probably the most difficult sport to re-create in a board game is basketball ... a hurdle finally overcome when Avalon Hill created BASKETBALL STRATEGY, a game that captures all the subtleties in maneuver of the real thing. YOU as coach -select a lineup from 12 individually rated players keeping an eye toward rebounding, shooting, ball handling, and defensive abilities. $10.00

CHALLENGE

ei!Q FOOTBALL

If you really enjoy statistics, try CHALLENGE FOOTBALL, the game that is so realistic you even diagram each and every call - it's your decision where and when to run plays and to which side of the field.

Til is is the true game of "inside football" where inches count. Only that amount of luck inherent in any real life situation plays a part in CHALLENGE FOOTBALL, the game of think and double think, strategy and co~;~nter strategy. $10.00

IQ STRATEGY

Begin a New Dimension In Sports Games - 1, 2, or all 5 of these strategy-type sports games tor yourself- or as gifts tor someone else. Your order on the coupon will bring you your choice of games from our "Instant Mailing" department.

NATIONAL PREP SPORTS 4707 N. 12th STREET PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85014 Please send me the game(s) checked below. I enclose the total amount- including postage of $1.00 per order regardless of number of games - in check or money order only.

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•

CHALLENGE .GOLF

It's a rare game of golf that can duplicate on a game board what occurs out there on the links. But CHALLENGE GOLF does just that - placing you right in the middle of tournament play at the famous Pebble Beach course. See if you can out-drive the masters, or outputt the best pros. YOU decide which clubs to use, and when to take chances in this authentic recreation of a golfing classic. $10.00.

_

FOOTBALL STRATEGY @

_CHALLENGE FOOTBALL@ _CHALLENGE GOLF@

$10.00 (includes Foolball Widow's Handbook) $10.00.(ir.cludesmethodlordiagrammlngplays)

$10.00 (includesall18 holes at Pebble Beach)

_BASE BALL STRATEGY @ $10.00 _BASKETBALL STRATEGY@

(includes official rules oi baseball)

$10.00 (includes method to assign real-life names)

Name _____________________________________________ Street Address ________________________ City, State, Zip--------------------------------No coo·s, please. Be sure to Include $1.00 per order postage.

EASY RECORD Notre Dame High of Riverside, California, had its eye on breaking the school record of I 08 points when it met Heritage Christian in the first round of the Riverside cage tournament this season. The Titans' task was easier than they had hoped as they raced to a 116-8 romp. Randy Start topped all scorers with 24 points, with I0 lay ups during seven minutes of the third quarter.

The 108-point margin of victory was also impressive, but far from thel82 margin set when DeQuincy Grand Avenue, Louisiana, downed Cameron Audrey Memorial, Louisiana, 211-29 in 1964.

NO RECORD When Flat Rock, Michigan, High junior heavyweight Dave Steffon pinned Bob Wojack of Grosse lie High in just five seconds for a new school record, a school official thought it might have been the fastest pin in high school wrestling.

Nbt so. In addition to a five second pin in th~ 98 pound class, and four second pins in the 167 pound and unlimited classes, the national record is three seconds in the 180 pound class, when Joe Amaral of San Diego University High pinned Bill Holliday of Claremont, California, in the 196869 season.

DAVID ROCKS GOLIATH Outweighed 22 pounds per man in the line and with just 15 players on the varsity squad, tiny Hampshire, lllinois, stunned two-time state finalist and defending champion Concord Triopia for the Class lA football crown. The Whippurs, using four 14-year-old freshmen reserves, not only won the game from the Trojans, who had a 24-game winning streak, but crushed them 47-6.

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A WIN AT LAST! Mifflinburg, Pennsylvania, High School hadn't won a basketball game in over four years when Mark Wagner went to the charity stripe and calmly sank two free throws in the closing seconds of a game with Muncy. His tallies gave the Wildcats a 56-55 win and snapped an 88game losing streak, dating back to 1972.

If it's any consolation to Mifflinburg, their streak was far from the national record of 138 losses by Friendsville Academy of Friendsville, Tennessee, set from 1967 to 1973.

GOOD ROAD TRIP Long Island, New York, Lutheran High School ventured quite a way from home last December to play two basketball games in Texas, and came home unscathed. The Crusaders opened with Houston Kashmere (which once had an 82-game winning streak) and took a 73-70 win after leading early by 20-0. The second contest found Lutheran going up against Houston Wheatley (the Texas powerhouse which at one time owned a 72-game victory skein

and crushed Lake Charles, Louisiana, Washington 158-116). The Crusaders managed a 12-point edge after three quarters and hung on for a 9!-88 win, as Wheatley tallied 30 points in the final frame to make a game of it. Both Kashmere and Wheatley are down this year.

Long Island Lutheran, however, is not.

YOU'RE A CUTUP, DOC Robert Jeffery, head of pathology at St. Mary Hospital in San Francisco, California, is great at cutting things out.

His hobby is sending newspaper clippings of high school events to prep coaches. He's been doing it for several years and the coaches are very appreciative.

"He subscribes to 20 to 30 papers daily in the area," says a track coach from the area. "What he does is sit down and cut out information on everything that deals with preps and sends each coach ·stuff on their particular sports. With the knowledge he sends me, we've been able to win the league championship almost every year for the last seven years."

LONG GAME, COACH? Lockney, Texas, basketball coach Dee Blevins had never seen anything like it when his team downed Littlefield, Texas, 59-57 in seven overtime periods this season.

"At the end of each overtime, I kept thinking, this will be it, but it seemed that no one could score," he said. "Every time anyone shot a free throw the fans would put on their coats and get ready to leave.

But it was a while before it was all over."

Perhaps the fans would have remained settled in their seats had they known that the longest game ever played took 13 overtimes when Mamers, North Carolina, Boone Trail outlasted Angier, North Carolina, 56-54 in 1964.

FOOTBALL SAFER THAN CARS? Some parents worry every time Johnny dons the shoulder pads each fall to make good for his high school. No one likes to see a prepster get injured. But how many parents know that the National Safety Council says playing football is safer than riding in the family cad In fact, the NSC lists football as being 180 times safer than using the car, 21 times safer than going swimming, and 20 times safer than using firearms.

100 IN A ROW The Rochester, New York, Wheatland-Chili High swim team has claimed its IOOth straight dual swimming meet. The Scotsmen dunked Barker 118-53 and five swimmers posted record times. Wheatland-Chili last lost seven years ago and have won six consecutive sectional titles.

Richard Michael set a pool and league record of one minute, 5.8 seconds in the 100yard breaststroke in the meet. Darlene Connell, the only girl on the squad, went under I :05.0 in the backstroke with a time of 1:04.5.

RECORD COACH Retired Cincinnati Bengals coach Paul Brown, the man who began coaching on the prep level in 1930 and built Massillon, Ohio, into a national prep powerhouse, made many contributions to football in compiling a 351-134-16 lifetime record.

Some of his innovations were: • Invented face bars on helmets.

• First to call plays from sidelines by rotating guards as messengers.

• First to employ a year-round coaching staff.

• First to use notebooks and classroom techniques for players.

• First to set up complete film clip statistical study.

• First to grade players from film clips.

• Developed detailed pass patterns which opened specific defense areas.

• First to use intelligence tests as a clue to player's learning potential.

• First to switch good running backs to defensive specialists.

SNOW JOB There's an interesting story behind Albuquerque High's basketball loss to Del Norte High one cold Wednesday night in January. It all centered around Albuquerque's unexpected storm which virtually crippled the Duke City's wheels, covering New Mexico with a blanket of snow.

Since many of the scheduled activities that night were being called off because of the white stuff covering the city, Jim Boggio, TV sportscaster for KOA T, Channel 7 in Albuquerque, began making a check of all the athletic events being postponed by the storm. After several tries to find out whilt was going to happen to that night's Albuquerque-Del Norte game, Boggio finally got in touch with one of what he thought was a proper school official. However, he accidently contacted a night school representative, who supposingly told him that the game was being cancelled.

Not so. It was played as scheduled, but at least four Albuquerque High players, including starters Bobby Sweet and James Bell, heard the news program and stayed home. So Coach Jim Hulsman's Bulldogs had to play Del Norte with a seven-man roster, and came out on the short end of a 67-61 score.

"Nobody with any authority could have told him that our game was called off," claimed Hulsman after the Del Norte game. "Del Norte has an excellent team and I'm not sure we could have beaten them anyway. But it's always nice to get a chance to put a full team on the court for each game." Considering Albuquerque is one of the most enthusiastic basketball towns - high school or college - in the country, it is easy to see how both schools were hurt at the gate. "I thought I had a reliable person in the office at Albuquerque High School," Boggio told the Albuquerque Journal after the debacle.

Needless to say, Boggio's popularity on the Albuquerque High campus is not at an • all-time high this season.

PREP I APRIL-MAY 1977

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As a special introductory offer, you may order a generous 4-oz. supply for only $4 .. 95. Fill out the coupon today!

Mail to: ACNE BAN, c/o National Prep Sports, 4707 N. 12th Street, Phoenix, Arizona 85014.

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ORDER ACNE BAN TODAY!

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I~--------.,I Send me _ _ bottles of Acne Ban .at $4.95 each plus 50¢ for handling and postage. Californians add 30¢ sales .tax.

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TOLL-FREE PHONE ORDERS: 1-800-247-2160

(In Iowa, call 1-800-362-2860).

IT'S TIME YOU KNEW OUR SECRETS We ca'n't keep our $portables hidden any longer; our secret is out and you're going to hear a lot about Jaclar from now on. Jaclar Sportables are the best value in leisure footwear available anywhere - and what a · selection: The Newest- THE JACLAR BREATHABLE NYLON JOGGER, cooler and more comfortable than you can imagine and with new nylon speedlaces.

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