The Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon, Wednesday November 22, 1978 FIVE
Card offense overpowers Powder Va
Bleacher
lone one game away
from state title
liey
With Robb Rush
56-36 and one to go!
The way that the lone Cardinals and the North Powder
Badgers went at it Saturday, I am surprised the hospital is
not full of fans suffering from whiplash. What an offensive
show they put on. Together, both teams accounted for almost
1,000 yards of total offense. Now, that's moving the football.
The Cardinals had another in a series of total team
efforts with no real individual stars. Every member of the
team made significant contributions to the winning effort.
The balance of the offensive attack was very apparent again
Saturday. Dennis Stefani had his usual run of the mill
game 7 for 9 (77.7 per cent completions), no interceptions,
and 182 yards passing and running.
Kevin McCabe was in the same boat. Kevin ran the
football six times for 59 yards. That's not much, you say? 9.8
yards per carry ain't bad. And he only caught three
passes for an average of 36.6 yards per catch. Every time
Kevin handled the ball he accounted for 19.8 yards. You can
see why the opposition keys on him so much during the
course of a game.
Although I haven't been able to see all the lone football
games there is one player I have noticed getting better each
time I have seen him play. Gregg Rietmann has come into his
own as an outstanding running back. Gregg had a terrific
day, gaining 167 yards.'. It is exciting to see him improving
and doing so well, because he is only a sophomore and will be
around for awhile.
And last but not least, all that running with the football is
not possible without the offensive line knocking people down
and moving them out. The Cardinal linemen do like to hit and
they are very good at it. They play the game as it should be
played as an aggresive contact sport. (Considering the
wind and the temperature Saturday, only the very dedicated
could have played the game. And all the Cardinals were
there.)
Defense? What defense, you say! In a game that had 92
points scored, the defense doesn't stand out like a sore
thumb. But it was there. Not in a bushel basket, but it was
there. Ask Treve Peterson, whose interception ended in six
big ones. And what about fumble recoveries and holding the
Badgers on downs. The defense was there. We just lost it
occasionally in the midst of the offensive action.
The fans were a little quieter Saturday, kind of like they
just expected the Cards to do it no matter what. But on the
other hand, the Arlington effort was a tough act to follow.
A special hand goes to the lone cheerleaders. They are an
energetic, enthusiastic and skilled rally squad. And they are
non-stop. They make a real contribution to the Cardinal
effort.
Next week is it. For all the marbles. What started out in
September as a dream is now very real and very possible. As
in the last two games, if the Cardinals get the kind of team
play they are capable of, lone football fans will have the
Class B high school football CHAMPIONS on their hands.
It was the day of the offense
in lone Saturday, as the
Cardinals exploded for 56
points to beat Powder Valley
and advance to the state
championship game in Class B
football'.
Hometown fans nearly dug a
trench along the Cardinal
sideline as they repeatedly
marched up and down the
gridiron to follow the scoring
drives.
Powder Valley was far from
scoreless in the contest, rack
ing up 36 points. The Badgers
actually tallied more yardage
than the Cards, picking up 493
yards in total offense 270
yards via air mail to 442
yards in offense for lone.
The North Powder team was
first on the scoreboard, when
Badger quarterback Terry
Boesel connected on a 23 pass
play to Coby Moulton for a TD.
After the Cardinal defense
thwarted a two-point conver
sion bid, the Redbirds fired up
their offensive machine. lone
running back Gregg Rietmann
was handed the ball and didn't
stop running with it until he
sprinted 55 yards for the
opening Cardinal score. Be
fore the first quarter ended,
lone was on the scoreboard
again, this time on a 36 yard
Dennis Stefani to Robin La
Rue pass, made possible by a
recovered fumble by Mark
Patfon.
Moving into the second
quarter, Ione's Treve Peter
son picked off a Badger pass,
running it back 23 yards for
another TD. Powder Valley
countered with a wild, 59-yard
run to paydirt by Ken Harling,
but the Cardinal machine was
only warming up. lone mount
ed a 50-yard scoring drive,
capped by a four yard
touchdown rush by Kevin
McCabe. North Powder man
aged to drive 67 yards in 16
plays to score once more
before the half ended, with
lone ahead 28-22.
Returning to the frozen
playing field after the half
time break, senior end Danny
McElligott fielded a sideline
pass from Stefani, then later
aled the ball to lone rushing
standout Kevin McCabe. The
razzle-dazzle paid off, with
McCabe outrunning Badger
defenders 68 yards to the end
zone.
Powder Valley regained six
points when Boesel connected
with Gerald Smith. Then lone
scored again on a run from
two yards out by Gregg
Rietmann, followed by a
22-yard goal line sprint by
McCabe. A .Coby Moulton
reception of a Doug Records
pass, ended the Badgers'
scoring.
Gregg Rietmann iced the
Cardinals' victory cake late in
the final quarter, running 34
yards for the final lone
touchdown.
Rietmann was the game's
leading ground gainer, rack
ing up 167 yards in 20 carries.
McCabe was the game's
leading pass receiver, his
efforts good for 119 yards.
Although Stefani only at
tempted 12 passes during the
game, he connected on nine,
good for 172 yards. Powder
Valley's Boesel threw 26 times
and completed on 17, good for
196 yards. Two of his passes,
however, were picked off, with
Stefani giving up no inter
ceptions. The Cardinals recovered
two Badger fumbles while
giving up none themselves.
lone was the only team to
beat Powder Valley this
season. In the second game of
the year, the Cards came from .
behind to beat the Badgers
28-22.
"If the fan's didn't get their
money's worth Saturday,
they'll never spend $2.50
again and get more excite
ment," commented Ione's
head coach Gordon Meyers.
Meyers also indicated that
the Cards' defense may have
to toughen up if lone is to beat
MacLaren this coming Satur
day in the championship
game.
"You're never pleased
Mature Mustang cage squad plans
improvement over lastyear9s record
A slightly more mature
Heppner High basketball
team will appear on the court
during the 1978-79 season, with
hopes for improving on last
year's third-place finish in the
Columbia Basin eastern con
ference. Although five seniors were
lost to graduation,, returning
to action on the boards will be
such standouts as Howard
Huddleston, Bryan Marlin,
Dale Holland, Jim Parker,
Lionel Wood and Dennis Peck.
It will be a change for Head
Coach Tom Day, who at the
start of last year's season his
first at the helm of Heppner's
hoop squad was faced with a
loss of seven seniors. Day and
his 1977-78 Mustangs turned
their backs on the previous
year's dismal 2-16 showing to
capture a respectable 13-7
season record.
"With the maturity of the
guys we have this year, we
should do even better," he
said.
A total of 26 players turned
out at the opening of drills last
week to jockey for positions on
the Mustang varsity. Cuts
were expected to be made this
week. The season opener is
slated for Dec. 1 against lone.
Speed has not been and is
not expected to be a problem
for the Mustang hoopsters.
Inside strength should also be
maintained by 6'4" senior
Huddleston, and 6'3" junior
Dale Holland. The Mustangs'
rebounding power should be
boosted by the addition of
transfer student Curtis Day,
who led his league in the
backboard scramble while
playing for Wheeler County.
Dennis Peck, who received
a shoulder injury during the
Elgin-Heppner semifinal foot
ball game, had not been able
to work out with the team by
the end of last week.
Pilot Rock, a perennial
powerhouse in the CBC, is
expected to be the team to
contend with again this year,
Day predicted. In fact, he
said, last year's district
champions may be even
tougher this year, since few of
their starters went out for
football, giving them most of
the fall, to hone their basket
ball skills.
Fillies see Pilot Rock as
team to beat in 1978-79
basketball season
Heppner hoop schedule
complete for 1978-79
Here is the Mustang hoop
schedule for the 1978-79 sea
son: Dec. 1 lone at Heppner 6
p.m.
Dec. 2 Helix at Helix 6
p.m.
Dec. 8 Condon tournament
(Condon, Cove, Umatilla) at
Condon.
Dec. 9 Condon Tourna
ment. Dec. 15 lone at lone 6
p.m.
Dec. 16 Helix at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Jan. 5 Stanfield at Stan
field 6 p.m.
Jan., 6 Riverside at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Jan. 12Pilot Rock at Pilot
Rock 6 p.m.
Jan. 13 Weston-McEwen at
Heppner 6 p.m.
Jan. 19 Umatilla at Uma
tilla 6 p.m.
, Jan. 20 Wahtonka at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Jan. 26 Condon at Con
don 6 p.m.
Jan. 27 Sherman at
Moro p.m.
Feb. 2 Stanfield at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Feb. 9 Pilot Rock at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Feb. 10 Weston-McEwen
at Athena 6 p.m.
Feb. 16 Umatilla at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Feb. 17 Wasco at Hep
pner 6 p.m.
Pilot Rock will also be the
team to beat in order to win
the CBC girls' division, ac
cording to Fillies coach Sherri
Brock.
The lady Rockets, state
champions last season, i
"should be tough again this
year," said the Heppner
coach.
The Filliesrwho ended up in
second place to the Rockets
last year, will have four
seniors and two juniors re
turning to their ranks this
season. Like the boys' team, a
total of 26 hopefuls turned out
for the opening week of
practice.
Missing from the Fillies'
ranks this year are graduated
seniors Diane Holland, Janice
Healy and Lori Rhea.
The teams' height, speed
and performance at this early
stage looks about the same as
it did at this time last year, the
Fillies coach said.
Spots on the starting team
appeared to be fairly wide
open. "We won't pick the
starters until the opening
game," Ms. Brock comment
ed. The Fillies schedule will be
the same as the varsity boys,
with twoexeptions. During the
Dec. 8-9 Condon tournament,
the girls will face Condon,
Gaston and Umatilla, and on
Dec. 21, there will be a
girls-only game against
Hermiston.
The return of Wahtonka to
the Columbia Basin Confer
ence increases the official
league schedule from 12 to 13
games this year.
Tuesday set
for IHS Fall
Sports
Dessert
The lone High School Fall
sports dessert will be held
Tuesday, Nov. 28, at 7:30 p.m.
in the cafeteria.
Volleyball and football
awards will bo presented.
Each family is to bring a
dessert.
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Bustin' loose
about giving up 36 points," he
said, "but as long as I have
more, I really don't care...
when you have 92 points
scored and 1,000 yards totaled
for both ball clubs, then you
know it's an offensive show."
"I knew we could move the
Kevin McCabe bulls his way past three Badger defenders to pick up big yardage in state
semifinal playoff action. The lone running back is one of eight Cardinals named to the Big
Sky Conference's All-Star squad.
ball," Meyers continued, "but
it started to look like a track
meet and score like basket
ball." But the game was not
without its defensive moments
for lone. Mark Patton and
Treve Peterson were each
credited with interceptions.
Kevin McCabe was in on 25
tackles, and Danny McElligott
made seven unassisted tack
les. All in all, Meyers had
nothing but praise for his
team right down to the
managers, Rick Doherty and
Larry Snider. "Rick and
Larry did a super job," he
said. "They are a part of the
ball club as much as anyone
else.. .It was a great win."
MacLaren game will be toughest
yet for the red-hot Cards
The state championship is
just one game away for the
lone Cardinals, following a
56-36 win on Saturday over
Powder Valley in State Class
B football semifinal action.
But that one game will likely
be the roughest obstacle to
face the Cards during the 1978
grid season.
On Saturday at 1 p.m., the
10-0 Cardinals will line up
against 9-0 Maclaren School
for Boys to decide which team
is the best in Oregon 8-man
football. The Cardinals will
have a home-field advantage,
but indications are that that
will be the only clear edge
they will have over the
Woodburn-based team.
MacLaren shut out pre
viously undefeated Elkton 48-0
Saturday to earn the right to
face lone in the state cham
pionship. During the course of
the season, MacLaren's op
ponents have averaged only
one touchdown per game, with
the Woodburn team averaging
400 yards per contest in
rushing alone. Elkton was
held to only six yards in
rushing during Saturday's
semifinal.
"MacLaren's going to be a
formidable foe by far the
toughest we've played," said
lone Head Coach Gordon
Meyers.
They're also big, with four
team members tipping the
scales above the 200 pound
mark.
"We've played a couple of
teams with 200 pounders,"
said Meyers. "We'll just have
to hit 'em low to knock 'em
down."
Preliminary scouting
reports indicate that MaLaren
"runs the kind of offense that
Arlington does," the Cardinal
coach noted. "They try to run
right down your throat. ..Act
ually, we do better against a
team that tries to out-physical
us."
Their spirits bouyed by their
decisive victory over Powder
Valley, the Cardinals are
"psyched up for this game,"
commented the coach.
"They've gotta be ready at
this stage."
How to go about beating
MacLaren was not the only
strategy the lone coach was
working on this week. On
Monday night, Meyers was
trying to work out the logistics
for removing up to one foot of
snow from the Cards' football
field in order to hold practice
sessions.
Boosters to
host
post-game
chili feed
The lone Booster Club will
sponsor a "chili feed" after
the State Class B Champion
ship game this Saturday in
lone.
The meal which includes
chili, french bread and bever
agewill be held in the High
School cafeteria immediately
following the game. Prices are
$1.25 for adults and 75-cents
for children 12 and under.
Ticket
prices set
for state
title game
lone Principal Chuck Starr
informs those planning to
attend the State Class B
Championship game Saturday
that ticket prices set by the
Oregon Schools Activities
Assn. will be $3 for adults
and $2 for students.
The game starts at 1 p.m.
Saturday with Ione's Card
inals going against Mac-Larden.
Haiti keeps world ping-pong crown
Blazing paddles took center
stage in Heppner Saturday, as
world-class ping pong pros
from Thailand and Haiti met
for a showdown to determine,
the world's champion team on
the table tennis for money
circuit.
The event drew television
crews, magazine and news
paper reporters and photo
graphers to the Heppner High
School gym to record Haiti's
five-games-to-three win over
the challenging Thailand
team. But attendance was
somewhat less than promoters
of the match had hoped. About
500 persons turned out for the
event.
Those who did attend were
treated to an often dazzling
display of skill, as players
managed to return 100 mile-per-hour
smashes and
English-spinning lobs volley
after volley. Players often
required up to 30 feet of
running room to return shots
by opponents.
During breaks in the action,
tlio ping-pong ambassadors
from Thailand and Haiti
signed autographs for youth
ful fans, and v.-ere willing to
talk their sport to anyone
un-selfconscious enough to
initiate a conversation. The
players were also on hand in
Heppner Friday night, to
attend a luau at the Elks Club.
In the first game of the
match, Haiti's Zoltan Pataky,
a Hungarian refugee, beat
game, Pradit went on to win
over Salem area native Judy
Bochenski of the Haitian team
31-28. Tareepranichpan beat
Table Tennis Pictures
On Page 6
Thailand's Kumuth Lienghi
rasit 31-19. Apachart Sears of
Haiti took the second game
31-17 over Jogkhaw Tare
epranichpan of Thailand. The
third game, a doubles contest,
saw Thailand's Kumuth Lien
ghirasit and Peter Pradit
defeat Pataky and Sears of
Haiti 31-28. In the fourth
Bochenski 31-23 in the next
game, but Haiti came back to
win the next three.
In the sixth game, Pataky
defeated Padit 31-27. Sears
beat Lienghirasit 31-24 in the
seventh game, and Pataky
came back to overpower
Tareepranichpan 31-27 in the
final stanza.
. .