Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Aug. 26, 1976)
Page 4, THF? r.AZFTTF-TIMFS. Heppner. OR, Thurvl.v, Aug. tt. mth John Sporseen named Heppner mentor ! John Sporseen 'Good discipline... on the field, in practice, in school.' "Good discipline ... on the field, in practice, in school." That's the recipe for a winner, John Sporseen, newly attained head grid iron coach at Heppner High School says. Sporseen, a husky, 200 plus pounder, sat in his office Monday, punching a pocket computer. The mini-brain was dwarfed by fingers that could only have belonged to the big frame they were attached to. Weights, heights, times were all punched into the computer, as Sporseen, eyed a list of 50 gridder hopefuls with the first league test just three weeks away. The newly hired head mentor has a history in football that started in his high school days at Central Catholic High School in Portland. There, at about 200 pounds, Sporseen was a tackle and center. His college football was held to a short freshmen stint at Notre Dame. He played under such esteemed college and professional coaches as Terry Brennen and Hank Stram, former Kansas City Chief head coach. A car wreck sidelined Sporseen, 38, from his playing tasks but didn't stop his field strategy from the coaching sideline. After two years at Notre Dame, he graduated from the University of Portland in 1963. He moved on to a junior high school in Woodburn, a private school named St. Lukes. For two years he coached all sports but track. John F. Kennedy High School was next. Four years as freshmen basketball coach, varsity baseball and assistant football, gave way to his first sporting love , . . football. . Sporseen has coached at Scio as head gridder coach for the last seven years. For three years there he also acted as head baseball leader and frosh basketball coach. At Scio he compiled a 35-27-1 record in the class A competition. His squads tied for the league championship Kinzua eighth o Kinzua Corporation's slo pitch softball team advanced into the semi-finals Sunday morning, but fell short in their bid to place in the Men's ''Recreational slo-pitch State " Championship Tournament in Forest Grove and Banks this ' weekend. ' -" The strong hitting team was plagued by errors and ended ' up with a still respectable eighth place finish in the state. I Saturday morning, Kinzua handed the Coast Guard a 10-9 lost for their first victory. Kinzua played with tourna- ' ment jitters in the first inning 1 allowing the Coast Guard five runs on errors. ' They fought back an scored . seven runs in the second, j I Gearl Seal and Dan McBride ; ' hit singles and scored on Dave : Eckman's home run. Mike Smith and Tim Bellany cross- ' ... ed 1he plate . following Bil f Baker's home run. Seal kno-' eked in Kevin Dick and Mike ; Rowell to score before the ;j inning was over. . T The Coast Guard evened the .' score in the third 7-7 and took ? the lead in the fourth 9-8, ; Kinzua came up with one run on Gary Kemp's single. Kinzua scored two runs in the seventh and held the Coast . Guard to one run clinching the . win. " La Verne Van Marter and v ' Geaqrl Seal scored on Vernon '. Seal's single in right field. 5-4 loss Kinzua stook on a strong Quad Wheelers in the second game and lost 5-4. Both teams played tight defense until the third inning with Kinzua scoring two runs and the Wheelers with one. Mike Smith and Tim Bel lamy hit singles to get on base. Gary Kemp's and Bill Baker's sacrifice fly brought the two runs across the plate. Mike Rowell scored a run in the fourth while Smith came up with the last Kinzua run in the fifth. Quad Wheelers scored two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh on three Kinzua er rors to clinch the victory. Team rop s U i Cindy Dougherty and Janice Steagalt teamed up on Aug. 23 to Lake first place and fast time in novice competition in the open team roping compe tition in Hcrmiston. Cliff and Cindy Dougherty finished with fast time but tailed to ttUre. Rodeo I Friday, r Saturday, : Sunday J 6-3 win In the afternoon, batters went to work hitting four home runs and scored an impressive 16-3 victory over a team from Tillamook. Bill Baker '3 home run in the first started the game rolling. Mike Rowell came up with the other run on Gearl Seal's double. Kinzua increased the lead to four with runs scored on Vernon Seal's double and single by Tim Bellamy. In the third, Kinzua scored two runs on Mike Rowell's double and La Verne Van Mar ter's single. Marvin Lane was awarded the RBI. Tillamook scored one run in the bottom of the inning. Van Marter's double and single from Dan McBride and Vernon Seal increased the score to 9-1 in the fifth. Tillamook came up with two runs in the sixth while Kinzua scored four. Runs were tagged by Baker, Kevin Dick, Rowell Van Marter and Gearl Seal. Dan McBride's home run was called back due to missing second base. Kinzua clinched the victory in the seventh with Gary Kemp's and Mike Rowell's home run. Bill Baker added the other run. right field. In the second inning, Vernon Seal hit a double and scored on Kemp's single. The next inning saw Mike Rowell hit a single to center field and Marvin Lane hit a ball to right field. Vernon Seal knocked in Rowell and Lane with a double. Pizza Palace rallied with three runs in the fifth while Kinzua scored four runs. Van Marter's home run started the inning for Kinzua. Adding runs were Gearl Seal, Dan McBride and Vernon Seal. The last three Kinzua runs were scored by Dick, Rowell, and Van Marter. Pizza Palace came up with three runs in the seventh. 1 2-8 win La Verne Van Marter and Mike Rowell's home run spurred Kinzua to a 12-8 victory over Pizza Palace of Seaside, in an early Sunday morning game. Both teams scored two runs in the first. Mike Rowell hit Kevin Dick in as he scored a home run in Plan to Attend 1976 Morrow County Follow the 4? f crowds to Heppner K J O A. 1 r riuay, aaiuruay, r this and Sunday JOIN IN ON THE FUN! Gardner'sMAr Men's Wear Heppner, Ore. Hey MR. FARMER We Are Ready To Serve You Tri-County Seed Cleaning Co. Formerly Harold Erwln's Grains Cleaned and Treated Serving Morrow, Umatilla, Gilliam Counties Frank Halvorsen Joe Halvorsen Ph. 422-7107 Ph. 422-7143 twice in his seven-year stay. His best season was a winning 8-1 year in 1971. Last year his squad managed a winning 5-4 record in the Tri-River Conference. Calling football his number one sport, Sporseen said he doesn't plan to coach anything else besides football. "I like baseball." he says, "but I like football better." Sporseen finds the change from Linn County at Scio to Morrow County "a change but not an unpleasant one." He said his family has enjoyed Eastern Oregon through hunting and camping expeditions in the past. With Sporseen comes his wife Rita and two boys, Stan nine and Ron Seven. Sporseen looks at the season optimistically. His goal he says, "is always to win every game." Heppner was 5-4 last year under the direction of personable Chuck Starr, now principal at lone. Sporseen says, after an hour and a half of practice Monday that he sees good potential. He said he was impressed with the seniors and a rash of young kids. He hasn't had time to evaluate quickness or speed or even depth but he has seen the weigh-ins and that in itself, he feels is impressive. Sporseen reeled off weights of 256, 240 and a pair of 194s along with a bunch of men in the 170-180 range. He likes that big size, being a former lineman, but is quick to note that "little guys can be tough and do the job." "We seem to be in pretty good shape," he says. Harvest and the county fair have hampered about 20 of the prospective list of 50 from practice but he is expecting them at either the morning or evening practice this week and next during daily doubles. r t state 23-15 loss Gearl Seal hit two home runs but to no avail as Kinzua lost 23-15 to 3-M Crane, of Tigard in the semi-final game Sunday morning. 3-M jumped to an early led with two runs in the second and six in the third. Kinzua closed the gap scoring seven runs in the third. Vernon Seal, Mike Smith, Tim Bellamy, Kevin Dick, and Mike Rowell hit singles while Van Marter slugged a double. Gearl Seal's home run closed the inning. The next inning saw Kinzua score three runs highlighted by Keith Curnutt's home run. Curnutt knocked in Gary Kemp and Vernon Seal scored previously. 3-M scored two runs in the fifth and sixth while Kinzua scored one in the fifth. Gearl Seal took the honors with another home run in center field. In the sixth, Kemp and Curnutt scored on Mike Row ell's triple. Kinzua led 13-12 in the seventh as 3-M batters went to work. They scored II runs on numerous Kinzua errors. Kinzua 's last attempt fell short coming up with two runs by Vernon Seal and Mike Smith. Welcome to the Morrow County Fair & Rodeo! We will be open to serve your needs from 7a.m. 1 la.m! Friday & Saturday August 27 & 28 Complete Feed & Tack for the Horseman Owners Barbra & Leland Ansotegui Greens Feed Store Lexington-Heppner Highway Phone 676-9422 -Heppner- 1PM' End-of -Summer Tire Savings! Goodyear Power Guide 4-ply Polyester Tires D7M4 $D"7 92 mm Now at Miles Tire Service . . . Plus 2.25 Federal Exc. In 2Lm m Seiberling 200 Polyester Q2 9 C78 x 13 Plus 2.04 d. Exc. tax Slie E78xl4 F78 s 1 1 Ci78xl4 117114 G78 x IS 1178 I IS L78 x IS Price 32.53 33.83 33.08 37.74 35.54 37.74 41.(2 Ladies We will fix your flat tiros for free! Site F78 x 14 G7S x 14 1178x14 1178x15 m-s- y. "v ""' """" 75 " o SM Tax I 2.25 2.31 2.55 l 8.00 x 16.5 2.80 ply 108 F.E.T. 3.23 I I Price Tax 28.M 2.3 30.40 2.54 32.08 2.75 32.03 2.80 Multi-Mile Super Hwy. A A 40 7.00 X 15-6 ply F.E.T. 2.83 7.50 x 16 ply 3.05 F.E.T. iwRj3i 98 Multi-Mile Highway Camper 80 $45 Price 51.27 53.12 70.37 S 04 Slit R7S 1 11.5-8 010 x 10.5-8 10.11 xS-t l2xl(.S- Tax 3.07 4.31 4.32 01 I I Pi Miles Tiro Center "Quality" Retreads w,-rJjHighway Commercial v'4',tV 'A FET -15 18.02 .45 7.00-13 21.77 .73 ( SO II lf.20 .73 7.0O-U 22.87 At 7.S II 27.04 2 l.ikti ittnjii Exchaag from 12 Mia 17 eirhang ill i'l mm v Jam All A auper aii unp FET i 6.70-15 20.40 71 t rMS 23.21 .77 j! IJJV SO-H 21.07 .72 111 ' J'A 70O-U 2.S4 80 V " ' TSO-W 2.3 J7 Vl,r'Jk I.Ike Catlngi Exchange from I2.MU 17.00 exchange rf t s. D (Get more miles from Miles) MILES TIRE SERVICE 441 f J. Main St Heppner, Ore, 676 S401 Passenger Car W78 Retreads Wrjiftjyypll mm, A78-I3 17.51 M OMJ UK .37 E78-I4 H7 .42 178-14 20.02 .44 (.78 11 21.41 .4 1178 14 22.15 .50 C;7S IS 21.32 .50 II78-IS 22 M .52 J78IS 24.07 .53 50 I J 17.(1 .28 I lk (aln Exchange From 12.00 -13.00 Narxrhanga oa a aWI h r U ( ! Ilrr mUiM ar I'mrfMo U r M