Newspapers / The Kings Mountain Herald … / Aug. 23, 1984, edition 1 / Page 9
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HARD HITTING —Kings Mountain's Mountaineers go through some blocking and tackling drills during a recent practice session. Coach Dennis Hicks is preparing his gridders for a New Look! Kings Mountain High Gridders To Run From Wishbone Offense In 1984 The Southwestern 3-A Con- ference will be much stronger from top to bottom than it was a year ago, Kings Mountain High football Coach Denny Hicks predicts, but he also hopes to see his Mountaineers improve on their 64 overall record and third place finish. ”» who can go either way,” says Hicks. “We feel like we have several fine running backs that can go either way with the foot- ball, and we feel like the offen- sive line has the potential to be better that it was last year. If our offense reaches its potential, the wishbone will be a good forma- September 7 opener against the Burns Bulldogs. Photos by Gary Stewart : ( POR ( Thursday. August 23, 1984-KINGS MOUNTAIN HERALD-Page 9A The Mountaineers have been working out in heavy equipment for two weeks now, and for the most part, Hicks likes what he sees. He sees a much bigger team than last year, one that should ‘be stronger defensively and on the offensive line, and one that has the potential to be stronger in the offensive backfield. tion to be in.” The Mountaineers ran the wishbone on occasion last year, but were primarily an I-formation football team. Hicks lost two running backs (Curt Pressley and Tracy Johnson) who accounted for over 2,400 yards between them, but with players like Odoms and Timmy Elder returning in the backfield, and guys like Otis Brooks and Vince Sullens coming up from the jayvees, Hicks feels like he has the talent to offset those losses. : Mountaineer fans will see a new look on offense this fall as Hicks and his aides have switch- ed to a wishbone offense. He feels the new offense will better utilize quarterback Roderick Boyce and a deep backfield which features 200:pound: fullback Eric Odoms. Re “To run the wishbone, you have to have two good halfbacks The main thing the coaches are trying to stress at present is the ability to concentrate and eliminate mistakes,” Hicks said. Last year, the coach pointed ‘intensity. ‘We have to develop out, the Mounties led the con- ference in penalties. “We lost well over 1,000 yards rushing on penalties, so we’re pushing the players real hard and putting them against the wall to develop an ability to operate when they’re tired and under pressure.” The Mounties’ starting lineup at present includes Brad Jones at center, Kale Bagwell and Robert Appling at guards; Jarvis Young and Therndon Brown at tackles, Calvin Stephens at tight end, Ferris Turner, and Edwin Sherer at split end; Boyce at quarter- back, Elder and Brooks at halfback and Odoms at fullback. "Defensively; possible: starters include Steve Falls and Neal: Morris at tackle, Rocky Lutz, Donald Mauney and Kevin Sabucco at inside linebackers, Keith Pettis, Young and Bagwell at outside linebackers, Doug Ramsey, Elder and Ronnie Frazier at end, and Brooks, Sullens, Danny Moore and Ken- neth Ross in the backfield. The KM linemen have good size, with many going well over six feet tall and weighing close to 250 pounds. “They’re not only big, but they have good feet and are very capable of doing what we’re asking them to do,” Hicks said. Hicks looks to Shelby and Crest to be the teams to beat in "the SWC, and ranks South ‘Point as a strong contender. He feels Burns and R-S Central will be much improved. “] hope our name falls in that category, too,” says Hicks. Rating his team in comparison to last year, the second-year head mentor says KM will be better up front, as good as last year on defense, and potentially as good as last year in the backfield. “We've always been very high on Eric Odoms,” says Hicks, “and we feel like he has the abili- ty to take up the slack of losing 2,400 yards worth of running backs off last year’s team. Brooks also looks good at pre- sent and Elder, who started some * for us last year, will definitely be a big factor. Boyce played the whole year for us as a sophmore By GARY STEWART Managing Editor When it comes to catching largemouth bass, not many people in this area do it better than Mike Seawright of Kings Mountain. The 33-year-old Foote Mineral employee won the point title in the Carolinas Division of the Red Man Tournament Trail by winning the sixth and final Carolina Division Tournament August 12 at Lake Hickory. He now leads a list of 24 fishermen from the division into the regional tournament on Eufaula Lake near Eufaula, Ala., Oc- tober 5-7. The top 12 anglers there will advance along with the 12 top fishermen in the other two Red Man regionals to the All-American Red Man Tournament in Florida, where the winner will pocket $100,000. ~ Seawright, relaxing at his home on Oak Grove Road Tuesday, said he decided to take tournament fishing seriously this year after “testing the waters” in a pair of Red Man tournaments last year. “This is the fourth year I’ve fished competitively, but my first full year on the Red Man trail,” said Seawright. “I was a member of the Cleveland County Bass Club for three years and won the club cham- pionship two of those three years, and I fished in two Red Man tour- naments last year but didn’t place.” Seawright decided if he was to really give professional fishing a true shot, he’d have to try it for a full year, so he entered all six Red Man qualifying tournaments this year. * He finished in 52nd place in the opening tourney of the year at Lake Murray, S.C., but didnt let that poor showing shake his con- fidence. Showing the patience and persistence of a true fishermen, he continued to “plug” away and climbed steadily in the point standings. In the next five tournaments, he placed in the money every time. He climbed to 20th place in the point standings afer the third tourna- ment at Clark Hill, was third after the fourth tourney at Wateree and second going into the final tournament at Hickory. He trailed the leader by five points going into the Hickory tournament. There, he caught seven bass weighing 15 pounds, 15 ounces, to not only win the tournament but take the point title with a season’s catch of 64 pounds, two ounces, worth 186 points. Two other Kings Mountain men finished in the top 20 and also qualified for the regional tourney in Alabama. Charlie Foster, who owns the Bass Shack in Shelby and is one of the most well-known Red Man Tournament Trail anglers, finished third and Gary Smart, a frequent fishing partner of Seawright’s, finished 17th. Seawright’s fishing career goes back to the age of five when his grandfather, Clyde Stafford of Kings Mountain, took him to lakes around Seawright’s hometown in Florida. Seawright admits there is a big luck factor in fishing, but being good at the sport also takes skill and homework. His skill has resulted in a room-full of trophies, plaques and mounted lunkers. “There’s definitely a luck factor, but to do good you have to be Turn to page 10-A Top Angler! KM’s Mike Seawright Wins Point Title On Red Man Bass Tournament Trail TOP ANGLER - Mike Seawright of Kings Mountain is won in fishing tournaments over the past four years. S : pictured with some of his trophies eawright won the point title in the Carolinas Division of the Red Man Tournament Trail this year and will go to Alabama Oc- tober 5-7 for the regional tournament. KM Fishermen 1-2 Mike Seawright of Kings Mountain won the $1,662.50 first place prize in the sixth and final Carolina Division bass fishing event on the Red Man Tournament Trail. The tourna- ment was held Sunday, August 12 on Lake Hickory. Seawright, 33, caught fish weighing 15 Ibs. 15 oz. He used a black and white crank bait on Gun Powder Creek. Seawright is a chemical company shipping supervisor. The $831 second place prize went to Charlie Foster of Kings Mountain. His five bass weighed 12 lbs. 12 oz. and came on a yellow shad in the river. Foster, 45, owns The Bass Shack. Noel Brown, 44, of North Augusta, S.C., was third with three bass weighing 12 1bs. 4 oz. He won $711. Brown’s fish came on a deep diving crawfish on the Middle Little River. The $404 fourth place prize went to Ronnie Tapp of Chesnee, S.C. His four fish weighed 12 lbs. 5 oz. Tapp, 36, is a warehouse supervisor with Hoechst Fiber of Spartanburg, S.C. 4 Lenny T. Smathers of Hickory was fifth with four fish weighing 12 1bs. 2 oz. Smathers, a 32-year- old Internal Revenue Service employee, won $299. i and got into a lot of games as quarterback, so he gained some valuable experience in pressure situations. “We may not live and die with the run like we did last year,” Hicks went on, “but the poten- tial is there, and we hope our passing game will be better.” The coaches will get a good idea of what to expect this season when they travel to East Burke August 30 for a scrim- mage game. East Burke is said to be much improved over last year, when they were one of the best teams in ‘the Western 4-A" Conference. The action is’ to begin around 7:30. Auction To Aid Boys Club The Kings Mountain Boys Club will be holding a combina- tion yard sale-auction Sat., Sept. 15 Proceeds from the auction will be used to help pay for a van the club recently purchased. Anyone having items or ser- vices to donate should call Bob Maner at 739-6411, Dr. Paul Hendricks at 739-7588 or Tom Bennett at 739-3667. All items or services donated are fully 'tax deductible and receipts will be available. The Kings Mountain Boys Club has been in operation for three years and has recently been recognized as the 1006th affiliate. of Boys Clubs of America. Soccer Registration Continues The Kings Mountain Boys Club is continuing registration for its fall soccer leagues. Any boys ages 7-15 interested in participating may sign up at the Boys Club during regular club hours. There is no fee. New Boys Club hours are from 4-8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturdays. The Boys Club is located at Central School. FFA SOFTBALL The Kings Mountain High Future Farmers of America will sponsor a men’s open softball tournament August 24-26 at the Kings Mountain Junior High field. Any teams interested in participating should call Dennis Martin at 739-8311 or Bud Bumgardner at 739-3040.
The Kings Mountain Herald (Kings Mountain, N.C.)
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Aug. 23, 1984, edition 1
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