Newberry
Griders
Showing
Their
^Wares’
\
There wu a time, not too many years ago, that ^
Newberry High School was the laughing stock of
South Carolina prep football.
But, since a pair of Kings Mountain natives
came on the scene 10 years ago as coaches, the
school’s athletic program has gradually built Into
one of the best In the Palmetto State.
Those two KMers were brothers-ln-law Jimmy
Klmmell and Mike Ware. Klmmell, who served as
Newberry's head football coach for fbur years, la
now at 4-A Cheater while Ware remains at
Newberry as head mentor. '
In six years, Ware has built cm envious 41-28'S
record, but more Important, his teams have been
unbeaten In Midlands 8-A Conference play the
past three years and his current teams Is Just
three victories away from the state champion
ship.
"It’ll be tough,’’ says Ware of the possible state
title, "but we think we have a good chance of
winning It.’’
Newberry blanked Southslde of Greenville, 21-0,
last Friday In the opening round of the state
playoffs, and this week Ware’s charges face
Clinton, a 14-7 victor over Wahalla last week.
Friday’s game will give the Newberry club a
chance to avenge one of Its two losses this year.
Clinton, a non-conference opponent, whipped
Newberry 14-0 In cm early-season game.
"We played four non-conference games,”
reccdled Ware, "and had a 1-2-1 record against
those oppments. But three of those ncm-
conference teams won their conference title."
Ware’s charges defeated Union, a 4-A school, 18-
6, cmd that team went on to win Its conference
title. Union’s In the same league as Chester,
which, as previously stated. Is now coached by
Ware’s brother-in-law, Klmmell.
In other nmi-league action, Newberry lost to
Columbia, another 4-A conference champion, 7-6,
and tied Laurens 8-8.
According to Wue, the big thing Newberry has
g^g for It Is "some hard-working coaches and a
bunch of good, dedicated athletes.” The school
has an enrollment of 1,000, and fields a varsity
team of 84 players, a lOth grade team of 26 players
cuid a ninth grade team at 28 players.
"An example of the dedication of our players,"
Ware said, “was that on elecUon day, wo were out
of school and gave our football team the day off.
But they decided they’d rather practice."
Ware, a lineman who helped lead KMHS to the
Southwestern Conference title In 1868 beUeves In
strong defense and two-platoon football.
^rewhRT
"This year,’’ he pointed out, "our defense has
given up two touchdowns In only one game, the
loss to Clinton. The rest of the time we’ve held
people to from zero to seven points. We haven’t
shut out a lot of people but we’ve given up only 52
points In 11 ballgames."
Ware runs a veer offense, occasionally swit
ching to the Mdshbone. Newberry’s biggest polnt-
nlght resulted In 81 points.
Offensively, Ware said, he’ll return most of his
players next year — Including the entire starting
backfleld — but he and his staff will have to do a
lot of rebuilding on defense.
He’s confident, however, that Newberry’s
newly-built tradition of playing championship
football will continue.
"We have five dedicated football coaches," he
sajm, "that do a real good Job. "A lot of Kings
Mountain fans probably remember two of them,
Jim Fields and Tommy Crooke, who played for
Clover back when Kings Mountain used to play
them. Fields was a running back on the same
team with Robert Munday, smd I know all the fans
up there remember Munday.’’
Ware’s year-by year coaching record at
Newberry reads 6-8-1,4-6-1, 7-4, 8-8,8-8 and so for
this year, 8-2-1. Needless to say, this year, could
be Ware’s best yet. His goal Is three more vic
tories, which would mean a 11-2-1 mark, the state
championship and the South Carolina Coach of the
Year Award which usually goes to the coach of the
championship team.
O!
15
ch.
Junior High Varsity Girls Drop Two...
Kings Mountain Junior
High’s girls basketball
team dropped a pair of
tough games last week to
bring their Foothills Con
ference record to 2-2.
The Lady Patriots fell to
county rival Shelby, 60-84,
Tuesday, and lost 66-68 to a
taU and talented Crest
team on Thursday.
Coach Candy Alber-
glne’s charges Jumped out
front of Shelby 8-2 In Tues
day’s game but the visitors
outscored the Lady Pats
20-8 In the second quarter
to break the game open.
Debbie .^pling again led
KM in scoring with 16
points and puUed down
eight rebounds. Mary
Moore played a super
fourth quarter, making
several steals.
"Even though we 17 points at halftime, I was
played poorly at times and pleased to see the effort
found ourselves behind by our girls displayed In the
9l>ORT^
Thursday, November 18, 1976
...But Jayvees Remain Unbeaten
3E
ific
/
Ktaigs Mountain Junior
High’s girls Jayvee
basketballers defeated
Shelby 24-16 and Crest 87-
^ , 88 last week to remain
undefeated after four
games.
The Lady Patriots,
coMhed by Becky Sum-
mltt, (u*e seeking their
second straight Foothills
Conference title.
KM and Shelby battled
on almost even terms In
the first half of Tuesday’s
game but the Lady
Patriots opened up a
seven-point lead midway
of the third quarter and
held it for the remainder of
the contest.
Sheryl Goode and Diane
WUUams continued to lead
KM In scoring with 10
points each, and also
shared rebounding honors
with six each. Pam Baity,
Karen Roberts and
Brldgett Glass did a good
job defensively, especially
on the full court press.
Goode tallied 16 points,
Williams 12 smd Glass
eight Thursday as the
Lady Patriots topped
Crest. Williams led the
rebounding with ii and
Goode added eight.
Coach Sum mitt cited
Roberts and Baity for their
efforts both on offense and
defense. They had several
asslste and steals and kept
the pressure on the Lady
Oiargers with their full
court press.
"I am really proud of
these girls and the way
they are hustling and
Improving,’’ noted Sum-
mltt "They played an
shnost psr^ tint Imlt
against Crest, scoring 22
points and holding them to
only six points.
“They were moving the
ball well on offense,” she
continued, "and were
sticking with Crest so tight
on defense that they
couldn’t get off a decent
shot.
"Our girls have the
desire and ability to go all
the way,” me continued,
"and If they keep playing
as well as they have the
last couple of games, I
think they will remain
number one.”
' ■ '■ ■■ ’’
OUNKIMO FOB TWO — Klngp Mountela’e
WllUams fires a Jumper tor two of her 10 points la
TUeeday’s FoothUls Oentorenee Jayvee game with
aielby at the KM Junior High gym. The Lady Patriots
copped their third straight win, 24-16.
KM LAYUP - Sheryl Goods (01) goes In tor a foyup
In Tuesday’s Junior high Jayvee game hetween Kings
Mountain and Shelby at the KM gym. Goode scored 10
points to help lead the Lady Patriots to their third
straight win, 24-16.
second half,” noted Oosich
Albergine. ‘"nils was a
very physical game and
some of our kids were
roughed up but they
managed to keep their
heads and play some good
basketball In the second
half.”
Tbe Lady Patriots got
behind early again Thurs
day at Crest, traUlng 16-8
after the first period, but
the locals came storming
back to give the Lady
Chargers their toughest
test of the year.
Kings Mountain had a
tough time rebounding
against a Crest team that
featured two players over
six feet tall, and a third
who stood at 6-10. Penny
Blantm came off the bench
and did a good rebounding
job In the second quarter
and gave the KM ladles the
desire they needed to maka
a game of it
The Lady Pats pulled to
within 27-20 at halftime,
and good outside shooting
from Kim Gladden and
Andrena Goode kept KM
close In the final two
periods. Donna Myers
came off the bench to score
10 points and played a good
all-round game.
Myers, Goode and Mary
Moore had 10 points esush
and Kim Gladden had 18
before fouling out In the
fourth quarter. Blanton,
Gladden, Moore and >4>-
pUng all did a super
rebounding job.
Crest led 46-86 heading
Into the fourth period but
KM cut It to five points
with two minutes left. The
Lady Pats, however, were
forced to foul to get the ball
and Crest had a strong
effort from the foul line.
"I have never seen a
team play any harder or
keep coming back like our
girls did against Crest,”
said Albergine. “Debbie
Appling, who has been our
leading scorer and
rebounder, got three quick
fouls and had to sit out over
half of the game. Susan
Howze also wm In foul
trouble early and Donna
Myers replaced her and
did a fine job at the point
guard. Penny Blanton and
Kim Gladden both had
good games before they
fouled out. We could have
given up when we were 12
points down In the first
quarter, but our girls just
refused to quit.
"We only hit ll of 26 foul
shot attempts,” she added,
“and that was the dif
ference In the game. It was
a very tough game to lose
but I think our players
learned something from
this game and that was
Just how well they can
play when they make up
their minds that la what
they want to do.
"This Is the way they
will have to play If we are
to have a chance at the
conference cham
pionship,” she continued.
”Our record Is 2-2 but we
are by no means out of the
(Please Turn To Page SB)
LEADING SCORER - Debbie Ap
pling (88) guns for two of her game-high
16 points for Kings Moimtaln Junior
Mgh’s girls basketballers In Tuesday’s
Photo By Gary Stewart
Foothill Conference loos to Shelby. The
Lady Patriots host East Lincoln Friday
night In a twinhlU beglanlng at 6 p. m.
Heavner To Speak Here
Jim Heavner, a Kings
Moimtaln High School
graduate and now presi
dent of Radio Station
WCHL, Chapel HUl, wUl
be guest speaker at the
annual Lions Club
football banquet
December 14 at the
Kings Mountain Inn.
Son of Mr. and Mrs.
Plato Heavner of Kings
Mountain, Heavner for
the past several years
has been color com
mentator for the
y^nlverslty of North
Carolina football and
basketball games.
Highlight of the Uons
fete will be presentation
of trophies to out
standing players on the
1676 KMHS eleven,
which recently finished
Its most successful
season In 12 years with
an 8-2 record.
'Trophies to be
presented Include the
Mirror-Herald Player of
the Year Award, the Dr.
George Plonk Most
Valuable Player Award,
the Fred Plonk Blocking
Trophy, the John
Gamble Scholastic
Award, the Most Im
proved Player Award
and the Mountaineer
Award. In addition, the
senior members of the
team will receive
plaques.
Uons Oubber Oiarles
Blanton la In charge of
the program.