Image provided by: Morrow County Museum; Heppner, OR
About Heppner gazette-times. (Heppner, Or.) 1925-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1977)
t , 4 -k FOUR The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Ore., Thursday, September 8, 1977 GAZETTE-TIME Over the tee cup t -mt H H ' I THI Four teams in running for CBC title Sherman County.. ..Weston-McEwen... Umatilla and Heppner. What do all these Columbia Basin Conference football teams have in common? They're all in the running for the CBC championship this season, according to a survey conducted this week with the league's coaches. Last year, Umatilla won the CBC crown with an 8-0 record, followed by Sherman County with a 7-1 mark. Heppner finished third at 6-2 and Weston-McEwen was fourth at 5-3. All the coaches agree, the league this year will be well balanced and the race to the conference title will be tight. Judging just on the basis of returning players, Sherman County may have a slight edge. Weston-McEwen is close behind. Umatilla, guided by Milt Durand the past 23 seasons, can't be counted out even though they have undergone a lot of rebuilding this year. The Viks, last season, lost out to Regis in the Oregon State Class A Football finals. Darkhorse clubs this season will be Heppner, Pilot Rock and Oregon Trail. There are three new coaches in the CBC this year. Tim LaBrousse, an assistant at Pilot Rock for two seasons, is now the Rockets' head coach. Dale Durand, the 27-year-old son of Milt Durand, will lead the Condon team. Wasco County basketball coach Darce Driskel will head the Bedsides' football fortunes this season. Here is a quick peek at the conference's nine teams. HEPPNER Look out for Heppner this Columbia Basin Conference football season. John Sporseen's herd of Mustangs is loaded with players 52; with seniors 14 and with lettermen 16. The Mustangs, who may be the CBC's darkhorse club, are coming off a fine 1976 season which produced an overall mark of 7-2. Heppner was 6-2 in the CBC last season which was good for third behind Umatilla (8-0) and Sherman County (7-1). Sporseen, who is entering his second year as the Mustang's coach, is expecting strong play from center-defensive b'neman Chris Wright (6-0, 185) senior; lineman Marty Smith (6-5Vi 260) senior; halfback Dennis Peck (5-9, 155) junior; halfback Bryan Marlin (5-9, 150) junior and defensive back Jim Kenney (140) senior, to name just a few. Senior Jerry Cutsforth (6-0, 165) will be the Mustang quarterback. Cutsforth doesn't have much experience starting only in the Mustang's final game last season. Heppner will be strong in the defensive backfield with Peck, Marlin, Kenney and senior Jim Wishart (5-9, 150). Other players Sporseen rates highly are sophomore tight end Dale Holland (6-2, 175) and senior lineman Bob Smith (5-10, 210). Heppner's strength will be quickness in both the defensive and offensive back field. The schedule is also on Heppner's side with five of the Mustang's first seven games on their home turf. Heppner's weakness, Sporseen feels, will be in the line (especially at the tackle spot) and at quarterback. RIVERSIDE The Pirates, seeking to improve on last season's 1-7 overall mark, will take on Columbia (Burbank, Wash.) in their season opener at home, Friday Sept. 9 . Youth and inexperience may hamper the Bucs a bit this season but coach Mike Wetherell feels he has 15-20 players on the team that are in the running for starting spots. Halfback-linebacker Bill Griffin (5-8, 150) senior is one of the few Pirate players that will go both ways this season. Flanker-safety Steve Daulton (5-9, 140) sophomore, and b'neman Virgil Morgan (510, 165) junior, may also go both ways, Wetherell said. Quarterback Dan Bozarth (5-9, 160) junior, will guide a beefed up Riverside aerial attack. "We plan to throw the ball more than we have in the past," Wetherell said. Wetherell, who is in his fifth season at Riverside, has been encouraged with the play of his defense in two recent scrimmages. Linebacker Jim Siberz (5-10, 170) junior, has come on in recent practices Wetherell said. Siberz may also spend time in the Pirates backfield as a halfback. Thirty-five players are out for football this year at Riverside. Only five are seniors with the majority of the team (15) being made up of juniors. Wetherell is pleased with his team's progress over the past two weeks. "Overall I am pretty pleased," Wetherell commented. "It gets more encouraging everyday." WESTON-McEWEN Tiger-Scot coach John Huntsman, who is entering his fifth season, has 24 lettermen back from last year's 5-3 squad. Turn out is expected to hit the 40 mark, with about eight being seniors. UMATILLA The Viks need to gain a State Class A football title to better last year's achievement (a second place finish in the Class A football ranks) and Vik coach Milt Durand is working in that direction. With all the rebuilding going on at Umatilla especially in the offensive and defensive line the Viks may be guilty of some mistakes in the first couple contests. SHERMAN COUNTY With flanker Dave Simantel (5-10, 175) senior; halfback Kevin Kaseberg (5-9, 175) junior and fullback-defensive tackle Eric Kalista (6-3, 200), senior, back for another season everything looks bright for Sherman County. Huskie coach Lance Ballew is entering his second season and he was welcomed by 37 grid hopefuls. Among the 37 are six seniors and 14 lettermen. Sunday, Sept. 4, was a busy day at Willow Creek Country Club. During the morning, the men challenged the links, while the afternoon found a family barbeque in progress. John Edmundson led the men's play, shooting a 64. Low net went to Jerry Daggett with a 52. Dave Harrison nabbed least putts with 26. In the skill areas, Craig Cooley won the long drive and KP went to Jim Wishart. Obstacle-type golf was the theme at the barbeque. A few of the challenges faced by golfers included teeing off with a putter and teeing off while sitting in a chair. Making a second appear ance in the winners circle was John Edmundson, when he and his partner, Lois Hunt, grabbed low gross. Second low gross went to the team of Vi Lanham, and Allen Nistad. Rick Klaus won KP and Vicki Edmundson and Allen Nistad won long drive. Judge and Juanita Car michael and Allen and Lilly Mae Nistad were in charge of the afternoon event. September 17 is a day to mark on your calendar as activity at Willow Creek will begin at 8 a.m. with a workday session. At 3 p.m. a Jack and Jill Tournament will get underway featuring an 18-hole best ball with handicap for mat. Sign up sheets . are available in the club house. The following day, Septem ber 18, Willow Creek will host another barbeque beginning at 4 p.m. Family members A -I are asked to bring salads and J - Z desserts. Lions on links SPORTS LOG Friday, September 9 Pilot Rock at Heppner, 7 p.m. Columbia (Burbank, Wash.) at Riverside, 2:30 p.m. lone at Spray, 4 p.m. Prep Football Thursday, September8 Girl's Oregon Trail at Riverside, 5 p.m. Volleyball Tuesday, September 1 3 Riverside at Heppner, 5 p.m. Filly spikers feature new coach, returning vets ff A Iff U OVtf If you haven't been practic ing that swing on the links this summer, limber it up now for the Fourth Annual Lions Open Golf Tournament. Set for Saturday, September 24 at the Willow Creek Country Club course, the tourney is open to all golfers. The tournament will be set up on the basis of three flights of medal play beginning with a qualifying nine hole round at 8:30 a.m. Tournament action will be gin at 10:15 a.m. with a nine hole round shotgun start- followed by a catered lunch at noon. The final nine will be played with tee-off starting at 12:30. Trophies will be awarded to the top three finishers in each flight. Defending champion of the tournament is Dave Harrison who captured the title last year with a 61. Dean Benzel of Echo won the tournament in 1975 and 1974. Anyone interested in enter ing the tourney should contact Neil Parks, Box, 581, Heppner. The entry fee is $5. : For her first year as Heppner High School volley ball coach, Sherri Brock has 30 girls out on the court including all but the three senior members on last year's 6-3 Filly team. The newly arrived Brock is joined on the coaching staff by second year coach Michelle Portman who will work main ly with the jayvees and freshmen. The two are now in the process of dividing up squads as they prepare for their home opener Tuesday, Sept. 13, against Riverside. Monday, Coach Erock took the team to Arlington for a volleyball clinic directed by Portland State University volleyball coach Marlene Pip er. The new Filly coach is an HHS graduate and later at tended Blue Mountain and Oregon State University. She will split her teaching time between the high school and the elementary school this year. Losing only three players to graduation, Heppner figures to be in a good position to improve on last year's fine showing. Senior players on the team are; Shelley Thompson, Kristi Edmundson, Lori Rhea, Jan ice Healy, Cathy Palmer, Carla Thdrpe and Diane Holland. Juniors include; Laurie Harrisom. Tammy Lucas, Vicki Marlin, Wendy Myers, Julie Grieb, Nichelle Cutsforth, Marie Yocom, Jackie Mollohan, Maureen Healy and Mary Daly. From the Sophomore class are; Alice Abrams, Geri Grieb, Jana Steagall, Debby Klaus, Sandi Hudson, Janette Piper and JoLynn Daly. Freshman are; Lynn Dee Devin, Paula Palmer, Deann Connor, Diane Samples, Tammy Howard, and Sonja Biddle. I I PEACHES U-PICK Improved Elbertas & Monroes 18c lb. a I Bartlett Pears 116c lb. 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