Eli.. Sept. 21. I!t7:i
It O (. I K K V S
Pane .I
Sophomores Show Top Varsity Football Potential
b .lusi'pli Hawk
Their style is cool sometimes cocky but still cool enough that
their varsity foothall prowess somehow masks the fact that they are
sophomores.
Sure they show the tension and anxiety that most rookies
experience in their first varsity appearances, hut they play in such a
way that shows they've got the potential to be conference contenders.
"You've got to put out 110 percent during practices and games."
says offensive guard Jeff Kodgers. Built like a foothall player.
Rodgers at 5'6", 17(1 lbs., likes being helped by his senior teammates.
"The coaching here is pretty good, but there are some things that only
the bigger players on the team can help you with. It's that relationship
that makes a team strong."
Reliance on Speed
f Jrizzly reliance on speed has put tailback Andy Phillips in the
public eye. Not noted for size, the Ashland offense has been running
more often than passing. "Sure I'm scared of those big defenseman,"
says Phillips, who at 5'8", 155 lbs., was impressive in the Anderson
game netting 72 yards in 22 carries. "I just stay moving around and
don't let anybody get a square shot at me."
"Sophomores add depth to the team," says Rodgers. "There's
more competition for positions everybody works harder everybody
tries to help each other."
Sophomore depth is apparent in little recognized defensive back
(Ireg Barats. Besides posting two yards in one carry in the Anderson
game, Barats' interception of a Cubs' pass on the Ashland 33 in the
fourth quarter helped lo solidify the Grizzly defense.
Hopes of District Title
I 7 vs
"l'p" for the Game
(letting "up" for the game, cites Phillips, is harder when your
team is predicted to win. Says Phillips: "When you're seen as the
underdog you get that added initiative to win you really want it But
when you're the favorite it's harder to build up that extra spark to
push yourself over the top."
Although on the roster sheet they may be listed as sophomores, the
spirit and emotion idsplayed by them on and olf the field is done in a
verv "senior" wav.
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Andy Phillips has emerged as the
top Grizzly ground gainer so tar this
season.
TONIGHT'S GAMES
Preseason Action . . .
South Albany at Ashland
Sunnyvale at Medford
Crater at Central Catholic
Beaverton at Grants Pass
Hillsboro at Klamath Falls
Aloha at Roseberg
GymnastCS Team Young Cross Country Crew Buiding For Future
(iirls gymnastics has a new
face at Ashland High this year.
The Lady Bears, under the
leadership of a new coach Sara
Larson consists largely of soph
omores with a single year of
compulsory routine experience at
the junior high school. Only three
members of last year's district
championship team returned for
competition this season: seniors,
Sharon Mill and Kathleen
McClure and junior, Teresa
McClure.
Another District Title
Even though, it is an obviously
young team, hopes of an un
precedented third consecutive
gymnastics title are rising stead
ily. Former Ashland High
gymnast, Lois Hill, who has been
helping the team in her spare
time, feels "the girls should take
district again. I didn't think they
were experienced enough at first
but everyone is working hard and
learning the stunts now ... All the
floor ex girls are are doing back
handsprings."
Cancellation of the Klamath
Falls meet moves conference
competition up to October when
the Lady Bears encounter their
toughest rivals. Medford and
Lakeview. Mrs. Larson has
tentatively schedule the first
meet of the year against her
former gymnasts from Beaver
ton, next week, either on Thurs
day or Saturday. Even if the
Beaverton meet materializes,
she expects the Medford-Lake-view
meet to be a real test since
they will have had an extra meet
belore meeting us.
"The girls from some of the
other schools show a lot of
practice and skill. We will have to
work hard as a young team to
maintain our supremacy for the
third year in a row. It's my
feeling that if the girls continue
their maximum effort in practice
that we will prevail," said Mrs.
Larson.
Expected Starters
Two sophomores, Karen Dew
and Liz Steinek, will compete in
the all-around competition as
well as Ms. Hill who assumes the
top all-around position vacated
by AHS graduate Pamela Hoff
buhr. Lack of depth presents prob
lems only on the floor exercise
mat. The three all-arounds will
be joined by Sue Bedogne, a
freshman. Back-up performers
are scarce with just Pam Bennet,
Kathy Dunlap and Kathleen
McClure as possible alternates.
Balance beam, uneven bars
and vaulting each have the added
depth necessary for a champion
ship team. Vaulting looks very
promising with assistant coach
Patricia Selhy working eight
girls on handspring vaults. With
jjst four entrants allowed per
event in a meet, there are nine
gymnasts on the beam and seven
on the bars vying for those
crucial positions.
That type of depth has been
Ashland's strong suit for four
years now and will hopefully
result in another title when
November 17 the district
meet rolls around.
Ashland High's cross-country
team is very good and very
young. Already Robert Julian's
long distance runners have pro
ven themselves as a track power
by taking a strong second place
finish at the Crater Invitational
and first place honors at the Lost
River Invitational.
Mark Simmons, Mark Farrell.
and Dale Simmons were three of
the best reasons Ashland was
able to take second place out of
the eight competing teams at
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River Invitational. Five out of the
Grizzlies seven varsity runners
finished in the top eleven giving
Ashland an unbeatable 35 points.
To post a win Ashland had to beat
teams such as Medford. Crater
and Eagle Point. Mark Farrell
lead Ashland's winners by taking
second w ith 13:04 time. Ashland's
Junior V'aristy also took first
place.
Last year with a much more
experienced team, the high
school finished third. But. this
years young but talented crew
will be challenging the field of
thirty teams for the prestigious
trophy.
The meet being held tomorrow
at Gilcrest, will sound off at
12:00. led by juniors Mark Far
rell, Mark Simmons. Jim Trout
man and Brad Studebacker.
Challenging for a share of the
lead will be sophomore Bill
Yeoman, and Freshmen. John
Winter and Dale Simmons.
Coach Bob Julian clocks the cross
country team during practice.
Crater. Grants Pass was the only
team able to outrun Ashland.
Mark Simmons lead the Grizzly
runners by taking 9th place,
Farrell took twelfth and Dale
Simmons came in 18th. Farrell
would have done much better had
he not fallen dow n while he was in
first place.
Ashland won easilv at the Lost
We don't make
promises.
We make guarantees.
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