Newspapers / The Kings Mountain herald. / Nov. 22, 1976, edition 1 / Page 4
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Page 4A—MIRROR>HBRALD—BfMidajr, November M, lt7< .^GI^RV 9TeWMT ^Break^ Launched Jim^s Career bi Broadcasting -Johnson Leads BuUdt^ IQngs Mountain High's lone contribution to college footballt Chris Johnson, had a super year this fall as a freshman at Oardner-Webb. Johnson, who broke Into the starting lineup the third week of the season, was one of the main reasms the rebuilding Bulldogs had a successful M record. "nio two-time KMHS most valuable player led the team In pass Interceptions with five, made 81 unassisted tackles and assisted In 20 others from his comerback position. The Bulldogs broke B3 school records and tied five others In Just their second year under head coach Oval Jaynes. Some of G-W’s now records Included 76 points scored In a victory over 8AC-8 rival Lenoir lUiyne, 688 irards total offense In a narrow loss to nationally-ranked Catawba, 862 yards offense by quarterback Dennis Stllley against Georgetown and 10 extra points kicked by Mike Cox against LR. 1977 KMHS Football Schedule* Goodbye, Bessemer And Cherryville, Hello, R-S Central And Green Wave Breaks often decide the outcome of sports events, and a “break,” according to Kings Moun tain native Jim Heavner, launched his broad casting career. Heavner, now president of Village Broadcasting Co. and color commentator for the University of North Carolina basketball network, says a broken arm actually began his radio career. As a sophomore at Kings Mountain High In the mid-fifties, Heavner says he was a substitute on the Jayvee basketball! team when he got his "break.” “After I broke my arm,” Heavner recalls, “Shu Carlton used me as ascorekeeper and put me on the P. A. system and I loved It.” After that, Heavner, said he went to work for WKMT as a sports announcer. After graduation from Carolina In '61, he went Into the radio business fulltime. “I still do the basketball color work” he says, “but that Is more or less something I do for pleasure. I'm certainly not In It for the money, because I found out long ago there's no money In sports.” Heavner worked his way from sales manager to general manager of WCHL In Chapel Hill In five years, and now Is president and owner of the company. He and his partner own five companies, plus a publishing company, and a retail store. TTiey're getting ready to open two more stores In January. Heavner will be returning home December 14 to speak at the Kings Mountain Lions Club football banquet, which each year honors the local high school gridders. “I'm truly looking forward to coming back,” says Heavner, who graduated from KMHS In '67, “Charles Blanton Invited me down a couple of years ago to speak to his civic club, and I'm happy to be Invited back. No matter how much work you're doing, you always look forward to coming home.” Heavner's duties keep him on the go and most of his speaking duties deals with management sqmlnars. He was a highly sought-after banquet speaker several years ago but says he doesn't Invite that kind of business anymore. “The press of business keeps me from spending as much time with It as you need to,” says Heavner. “But It's always a pleasure to come back home. I'm really looking forward to meeting the young men who were the stars of the team.” Rubbing elbows with stars Is nothing new for Heavner, whose affiliation with Carolina sports teams has enabled him to meet some of the top players and coaches In the United States, But he says he counts some of the KMHS stars of the past as some of his best remembered athletes. “When I was In school,” he recalled, “John McGinnis was the star player. He was the quickest guy I've ever seen.” For some of the younger athletes who don't remember the fifties, McGinnis was an cdl-star quarterback In the Shu Carlton-John Gamble era and was probably the best running quarterback KMHS has ever had. Other players in Heavner's day that stood out on the gridiron included Ken Baity, a Shrine Bowl halfback that went on to star for South Carolina, George Harris, a Shrine Bowl quarterback who played at Duke with a guy named Sonny Jurgenson, and Mearl Valentine, a bruising fullback who still lives here and who Heavner called a “fabulous ballplayer.” An added highlight to the Lions Oub fete coming up Is that trophy winners on the KMHS championship team of '64 will be on haim to present awards to this year's outstanding players. One of those players will be Pat Murphy, who quarterbacked the '64 KMHS eleven to the South western Conference title. “A funny thing about that,” says Heavner. “The last time I remember seeing Pat Murphy was when we lived on Cansler Street and my sister and Pat were bom about the same time. My mother and his mother used to sit out on the porch at night and feed them. He was the fattest baby I’d ever seen, and the next thing I remember about him was reading In the Kings Mountain Herald that he was the star football pUyer. It’ll be good seeing him after all these years and I hope to see a lot of the other athletes, and, of course, meet some of the current players.” The 1977 Kings Mountain High School football schedule will show two changes for the Moun taineers. They’ll open their season against R-S Central, a ccm- ference opponent the Mountaineers haven’t played in five years, and their second opponent will be 4-A Ashbrook High School of Gastonia, a gsune Coach Bobby Jones hopes will present a big rivalry and a good gate. Those first two contests, on Sept. 3 and Sept. 9, will both be on the road. The Mointaineers play their first home game on Sept. 16 against Chase. The '77 schedule will Include five home games, an against Southwestern Conference foes. Those home contests Include Chase, Bast Rutbsrterd, Shelby, South Point and Ektst Gaston. Road games are against R-S Central, Ashbrook, Crest, North Gaston and Burns. To make room tor the two new opponents, the Mountles dropped Cherry ville and Bessemer City from their grid card. Thoee two clubs will no longer compete In the SWC as the conference la moving from the Western N. C. High Schools Activities Associa tion Into the North Carolina High Schools Athletic Association. Coach Jones, who came to KBCHS In 1871 after serving as an assistant at Ashbrook, Is glad the Mountaineers will be competing against the Green Wave. Ashbrook Is a perennial contender In the 4-A ranks and three years ■go won the 4-A state ttUe. “We hope It'll turn Into a big game for us,” noted Jones. “It will help us financially and, of course, will be a good, strong non- conference game for us. Well have them coming here in the years that we’re going to Shelby and South Point, and that’ll be good too.” 1977 SCHEDULE Jones said he’s not sure yet whether or not the new Southwestern 8-A Con ference will send one or two repissentatlves to the state playoffii. SEPTEMBER 3, at R-S Central 9, at Ashbrook (nc) 18, Chase 38, East Rutherford 30, at Crest OCTOBER 7, Shelby 14, at North Gaston 21, South Point 38, Bast Gaston NOVEMBER 4, at Bums (ne) — Non-COnferanee “Probably, Just the first place team will go to the playoffs,” he said, “but It really depends on how many 8-A teams there are In the state. Sometimes, conferences can send wild cards to the playoffs, like the Western 4-A Con ference did this year. Hues and Ashbrook both got a playoff berth, but last year Hues finished second In that league with a 9-1 record and didn’t get to go.” The strong homo sched ule, and the tact that the Mmntalneers return most of their players and are looking forward to another outstanding season, should boost home attendance, which sagged In '76 even though the Mountaineers were undefeated at home and at one time ranked among the best 10 S-A football teams In the state. The disappearance of Bessemer City and Cherryville — two almost certain victories—and the replacement of R-S Cen tral and Ashbrook — two sure contenders — will make the '76 KMHS sched ule one of the toughest In the school’s history. Of the five home op ponents for next year, four of them were conference contenders and all four — Shelby, South Point, Chase and East Rutherford — will have most of their players back next year. The fifth home opponent. East Gaston, finished 8-6-1, but the Warriors, too, have most of their players returning and are l0(dilng for a winning season. Kings Mountain hasn't played a 4-A school since 1960, when the Moun taineers defeated West Mecklenburg 13-7. In six meetings with West, the Mountaineers held a commanding 6-1 series lead, and the Mountaineers won four straight games over 4-A East Mecklen burg in the late I960’s. Those two Charlotte clubs were the only 4-A teams the Mountaineers ever faced since Joining the SWC. ■JPORK Howze Is Golf Champion..Again John Howse copped his sixth straight Kings Moun tain Country Club club ehamplonahlp earlier this Bsonth and was honored ■long with other flight wln- Bsrs at the annual touma- inant banquet Thursday Bight at the club. Howse defeated A1 Orlgg fel the champlmishlp flight pfaMse wtsaers la the recent Kings Mountain Country Club club champlonslilp golf tournament. They received their trophies at a tournament banquet Thursday night at KMCC. Left to right, they are John who west hla sixth straight tMe, fshanr Gamble, who won his third straight Junior crown, Russell Putnam, the second flight champion, and Larry Dunn, the first flight winner. KM Jayvee Cagers Johnny Gamble copped hla third straight Junior champlcmshfo, whipping Hayne Nelsler in the flnsda. I>. George Plonk copped the championship flight onnaolatloB. Larry Dunn won the first flight over Charles Nlsler, and consolation honors went to Aud Hgnor. Second flight honors went to Russell Putnam, with Charles Wilson coming In second. Jim Bradley won the con solation. Mickey Powers was low qiiallfier^ShQ Ro^rt PJonk 'Was ninAbr-uip.' The club ehamplonahlp closed out the '76 tourna ment schedule at KMOC, iTiBiwTIsPUBatA) IVepare For Season Kings Mountain High’s Junior varsity basketball teams are preparing for a 14-game Southwestern Conference schedule and both coaches, Dennis Dukes of the boys and Joe Rountree of the glris, are optimistic that their teams will be In contention for the league titles. The local cagers are tentatively scheduled to open their season at home on December 9 against R-S Central, Duke’s alma mater. But there’s a possi bility a game could be scheduled on December 6. Kings Mountain, R-S Central, Shelby, Chase, Bums, Cherryville, East Gaston and Bast Rutherford are fielding teams In Jayvee play. However, Cherryville will not have a girls team, thus, KM’S girls will have an open date on the days the bqys are scheduled to meet the Ironmen. Dukes, In his first year as boys Jayvee coach alter leading the varsity girls to their first winning season in five years a year ago, says the Little Moun taineers should be much Improved over last season. The former R-S and Gardner-Webb athlete la presently working with 18 prospects. Including nine sophomores and four Juniors. Many of the players are good varsity material and will be a big help to the Mountaineers In the next few years. Players currently on tha roster Include Darts Curry, Terry McClain, Darryl Friday, Dominic Burris, Stan Scruggs, Michael Adams, Earnest Hamrick, Marvin Caldwell, Terry earthen. Earnest Wray, Rafay Johnson, Phillip Wofford and Clarence Wlngo. The girls team Includes 10 players and Coach Rountree says he probably will have two teams in stead of five starters and five reserves. RUNNERS-UP AND MEDALIST - Here an the runners-up and medalist In the recent Kings Mountain Country Club club championship golf tournament. Left to right are Aud 'ngnw, first flight consolation champion, Mickey Powon, low medalfot, Charles Nelsler, first flight mnner-np, and AI Orlgg, cham pionship flight rimner-up. “We’m going to try to play everyone as much as possible,” says the first- year mentor, “and that seems like a good way. It’s sort of like Dean Smith’s blue team where we'll substitute by teams In stead of by personnel.” Lady Pats Divide Pair THE SCHEDULE DECEMBER 6, Open 9, R-S Ontral 18, Shelby 16, Chase JANUARY 6, at Bums 7, Cherryville 10, at Bast Gaston 13, Crest 17, at East Ruth. 30, at R-S Central 34, at Shelby 37, at C3iase FEBRUARY 3, Burns 8, at Crest 7, Open 10, East Rutherford The roster includes Annette Littlejohn, Elisabeth McGill, Robin McSwaln, Sabra Bristol, Laura Boyd, Lisa Baity, Sallee Durham, Barbara McClain, Cheryl Leach and Trlcla Blalock. “Most of our players are sophomores,” says Rountree, “and that’s good because our purpose Is to build and have ex perienced players in their Junior and senior years. “I’m real pleased with the way the girls are playing so far. We’re working on fundamentals and the girls are working hard and showing a lot of enthusiasm.” Kings Mountain Junior High's glrU basketbaUers split a Foothills Con ference doubleheader with Lbicolnton Thesday night, the varsity losing a tough 47-40 decision and the Jay- vees remaining undefeated with a 36-16 win. TTie loes left the varsity Lady Patriots at 3-8 heading into a game Fri day night against unde feated Bast Lincoln. Jayvees were 6-0. Kim Gladden had best game of the . Tuesday for Candy Alber- glne's girls, scoring 30 points and pulling down li rebounds, but her effort waai't enough to offset a brilliant performance by Llncolnton’s Serena Surratt, who scored 36 points and hauled down a bushel of rebounds. The her year KM'S leading scorer, Debbie Appling, was held to her season's low of eight points but she grabbed a game-high 38 rebounds to help keep the Lady Pats In the game. KM fell behind early, trailing by 34-14 at the half. The Lady Patriots had a miserable shooting night, hitting only 19 peroent (17 of 89) from the floor and 88 percent (six of 16) from the foul line. The Lady Patriots cut the difference to five points several times In the second half but Surratt always pulled the Llncolnton ladles back Into a com manding lead. “We pressed full-court and caused Llncolnton to turn the ball over but we Just couldn't take ad vantage of their mistakes,' glne. noted Alber- eight points. “We've got to play better defense If we’re going to get back on the right track and win some of these close games,” added Albergine.” “Both Sheryl and Diane played weU offensively and defensively,” noted Sum- mltt. “Both girls are taking the ball to the bas ket much better than they did earlier In the season.” Sheryl Goode and Diane WUUanM again provided the 1-3 scoring and rebounding punch for the Jayvees as they recorded their fifth straight victory. They're seeking their sec ond straight league title under Coach Becky Summltt. The Lady Pats played a super defensive game, eRMclaUy in the first haU when they raced to an 18-7 lead. Coach Summltt cleared her bench In the fourth period, enabling tha visitors to cut the final score to lO points. Goode had a game-high 14 points and shared rebounding honors with WllUams with eight. WUUams also contributed “If the girls conUnue to play well and hustle as they have so far, another Foothills Conferenca champlnnriilp might weU be a reality,” Summltt said. mi L« pli Di fei ra 13. U ttu ha tn Ini Di toe qM I !**■ B AI ac Gi th U q» St In th th ta Di M be gi P« m W r
Nov. 22, 1976, edition 1
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