Banner Graphic, Volume 9, Number 298, Greencastle, Putnam County, 23 August 1979 — Page 9
Tiger Cub defense solid; offense big question yet
By STEVE FIELDS Banner-Graphic Sports Editor Replacing 17 seniors is hard to do and it’s even harder when many of those seniors wrote the high school recordbook during their four years of togetherness. But this is the task veteran Greencastle High School football coach Gary Cassells has ahead of him this season. One of the keys to last year’s 6-4 record was the players had been together for four years or more on the football field. This year’s squad has been put together for the first time. Gone offensively are quarterback Brad Collins, who set eight different records during his three year varsity football career. Mike Secrest took two touchdown pass catching records out with him and Drew Terry also set two pass catching records for the Tiger Cubs. Gone defensively are middle linebacker and offensive center Mike Martin, who holds a school record and defensive end Arlie Mitchell, who holds two school records in the quarterback sack department. BUT AS FAR as coach Cassells is concerned he got hurt more offensively. “Defensively I don’t expect us to be too bad off from the front, the front eight people. It’s the deep secondary we’re working on right now.” The deep secondary, the skill
Roe says team work will make Cougars successful
BySTEVE FIELDS Banner-Graphic Sports Editor Team work is the key for the North Putnam High School football team this fall according to second year coach Gene Roe. “The key for us is 11 people on
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North Putnam has two returning all-conference players and five returning all-county players for the 1979 season. David Mcßride (24) and Martv Fordice (13) were all county
GHS schedule Auk. 24 North Putnam* 31 at Brazil Sept. 7 Owen Valley* 14 at Trl-Weat* 21 South Vermillion (homecoming) 28 at Monrovia* Oct. 5 Edgewood* 12 at Cascade* 19 at Cloverdale* 29 South Putnam* (Parents Night) •WCC games
positions in other words. “What we’re missing from this year’s team are quality individuals in the skill positions. Offensively and defensively, our offensive and defensive lines will be in good shape. But the skill positions like the quarterbacks, wide outs, some key defensive personnel that would be considered skill positions, will definitely be plagued with people that have little playing experience. Coaches Cassells, Russ Hesler, Glen Hile and Doug Rose have decided to use Greencastle’s chief assets. “They can’t expect we’re going to push the ball down anybody’s throat, they can’t expect to break one 80 yards, they’re not going to be able to throw the bomb. I say we’re going to have to start working on where our best talent is,” said the 10 year
the football field executing, because we have no individual, no one player, that is going to win the conference for us,” said Roe. “Eleven people, executing to their full capabilities, no matter if they are weakside people
AII-WCC and All-County
Football Preview
coaching veteran. GREENCASTLE’S BEST TALENT, according to Cassells, is running back Brad Cross and the offensive line. Together they make up Greencastle’s offense. As Greencastle’s number two fullback his junior year, Cross carried the ball 25 times for 40 yards behind number one fullback Terry Gobert. His longest single gain of the season was 14 yards and he did not score a touchdown. But in the jamboree the Tiger Cubs couldn’t get the ball to Cross and this prompted many changes this week in the offensive unit. Cassells elected to go with his third choice for a quarterback, sophomore lefthander Ronnie Secrest. The opening game Friday night is going to be Secrest’s first game ever at QB. “Originally I planned to give the position to the best man,” said Cassells. “But through the process of situation, we feel Ronnie has earned the right to start.” THAT DECISION has brought the offensive timing a long way this last week of preparation. “It’s a little better. Only because we’re getting our timing.” Backfield timing was the only offensive problems Greencastle had in the jamboree, the of-
or what.” North Putnam has had individuals in the past that have carried the team at times. Last year it was quarterback Bret Stoker and receiver David Weaver that would break a
as was Glen Logan (81). David McGaughey (80) and Steve Tillotson (78) were named all-county and all-WCC. (Ban-ner-Graphic photo by Steve Fields).
fensive line was making the holes. The move out of the quarterback spot has also helped Mark Bertram. He is now challenging Cross for the starting fullback spot and it isn’t totally out of the question they won’t play together. Brian Benson has been the most consistent back of preseason practice. The 5-9, 145 pound, senior co-captain carried the ball 12 times for 37 yards. Mark Secrest, who lettered as a sophomore, but set out his junior year with an injury, pulled a muscle early this week and is a question mark for the opener. Secrest is, however, an offensive backfield possibility for the future. THE OFFENSIVE line centers around center, junior cocaptain Mike Meyer. The 5-10, 190 pounder played offensive guard and linebacker last year. Larry Hansen (6-1, 175 pounder) lettered on the specialty teams last year and joins Mike Rader (5-9, 153 pounds) as a starting guard. If there is a hole to expect Greencastle to come through, it will be either the left or right tackle position. At right tackle is 6-4, 250 pound senior tackle Tim Perkins and at left tackle Charlie Sage, a sophomore. Through the first week of practice Perkins was at right tackle because Cassells
game open for the 5-5 Cougar. Before that it was Marty Harpold. “WE HAVE NO STAR studded athletes. We don’t have anybody that we can tell go out and get it for us. We’re all going
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Greencastle May Be rebuilding this season, but coach Gary Cassells has 10 lettermen to build with. Lettermen back this season are: front row, from left, Mike Hanlon, Mark Secrest, Brian Benson, Eric Rossok and Mike Rader.
believed Greencastle would be going that way most of the time with a righthanded quarterback. When Secrest moved into the quarterback slot, the coaches considered switching the two, but no, they’ll stick with the sophomore. “We’re really pleased with Charlie Sage. He’s an aggressive offensive player. You know its so hard to find a young offensive lineman who takes that much pride in his
to have to get it,” said Roe. Graduation hurt the Cougar offense more than defense. Stoker completed 52 per cent of his passes for 1,312 yards and threw for six touchdowns. Weaver caught 37 of 67 passes thrown to him for 697 yards and four of Stoker’s six touchdown passes. Added to the gap was the graduate of two time all-WCC center Todd Hopkins, now playing football for Waldorf Junior College in lowa. Tom Purdue stepped into the starting center role early in practice, but the quarterback position wasn’t decided until the jamboree. “WE FEEL VERY comfortable with Danny Simon as our starting quarterback,” said Roe of the sophomore. Simon spent most of his freshman year hurt, played very little on the junior varsity and has no varsity experience at all, but coach Roe and the Cougars know he can do the job. “Danny has shown a lot more confidence and he is giving us a lot more work,” praised Roe. “He is very mechanical. He is taking every step the correct way. He does everything perfect, but he is spending more time thinking about those little things and these little steps, they haven’t become reaction yet. Some of the basics have got to become reaction for quarterbacks instead of taking time thinking about them.” Roe says experience and the hard work Simon is putting in will make the mechanics reactions. The Cougar coaching staff has made changes to fit the personnel this season. “We made changes this year to meet our personnel. Last year we had to come in and more or less do things my way. This year by knowing the personnel, we’ve got people fighting for positions, which is good.” Simon’s ability at quarterback and the development of Marty Fordice as a fullback give North Putnam more offensive punch on the ground. Fordice was the number two quarterback last year, but weighed in at 175 pounds and not a step slower, prompting the
blocking. It’s really something.” ERIC ROSSOK was a second unit end last year and gets the starting spot this season at 5-11, 158 pounds. Tim Saunders took over receiver position in a battle with Mike Hanlon, despite Hanlon being the faster. “He’s slower, he catches the ball pretty good, but a bigger asset is he’s a much better blocker.” DEFENSE SHOULD keep Greencastle in a lot of games
IM.P. schedule Aug. 24 at Greencaatle* 31 Tri-West* Sept. 7 at Cascade* 14 at North Vermillion 21 Southmont 28 at South Putnam* Oct. 5 Monrovia* 12 Edgewood* 15 at Owen Valley* 24 Cloverdale* •WCC games
switch, if another quarterback was available. “WE HAD A BIG SURPRISE. Marty is quick. He isn’t going to out run a lot of people in 100 yards, but five to 10 yards he is fast,” described Roe. “He’s also given us something we didn’t have last year and that is a back that will lower his head and run over people. ” Roe didn’t have to make anymore offensive backfield changes because “Mr. Steady”, David Mcßride, returned to his starting position. Mcßride rushed for 443 yards and scored seven touchdowns as a junior for the Cougars. Another option in the Cougar backfield is the halfback field pass. With Fordice at fullback, North Putnam has two former quarterbacks in its backfield, as Mcßride was once a signal caller. North Putnam’s bread and butter last year was its passing game, only quarterback Stoker and Mcßride were consistent ball carriers. “We’ve worked hard becoming a balanced team. If the defense dictates to us to throw the ball, we’ll throw it. Now if they want to play us an eight man front, with man-to-man coverage in the secondary, then we’re going to throw the football. We’ll throw as much as we ha veto.” ROE FIGURES through the season North Putnam will throw an average of 15 passes per game. But who will catch the ball now that Weaver is gone? Stoker threw six touchdown passes last year, four caught by Weaver and two by 6-4 Glen Logan. The big tight end is back. He has been slowed by
August 23,1979, The Putnam County Banner Graphic
Back row, from left, Mike Meyer, Larry Hansen, Tim Perkins, Mark Bertram and Brad Cross. (Banner-Graphic photo by Steve Fields).
with explosive offensive teams. The Tiger Cub defense was the star oif the two jamboree units. Cross and Rossok have earned the defensive end positions and the all important tackle spots go to all-county Perkins and senior Dallas “D-Day” Day. “When those two collide with each other in practice, it measures on the Richter scale,” said Cassells of the PerkinsDay match ups in practice. Co-captain Mike Meyer is
illness during “boot camp,” but Roe expects him at full strength soon. Logan caught 28 passes out of 45 sent his way for 366 yards as a sophomore. Development of some seniors as offensive tackles is allowing the Cougars to use the soft hands of 6-3 senior David McGaughey. The coach believes McGaughey at tight end allows the Cougars to use his talents much better. “He can catch the football. What can I say, he’s a basketball player and basketball players can catch the ball.” “We’ll have the two best tight ends in the WCC. They (the opponent) better be ready to play some pass defense, because both of those guys are 6^1.” Wide out receivers are fighting for a spot. Tony Harbison, a senior who didn’t play last year, has the inside track out of four individuals competing for the spot. The 6-1 senior went to camp and Roe points out he is also a basketball player, he can catch the football. Chet Clodfelter, Pat Purdue and Steve Franklin are also in the running. Clodfelter missed about three days of practice competing in the Junior Olympic decathlon in Wyoming. Steve Franklin, “may have the best set of hands on this football team” is the way coach Roe describes him, but he is a senior playing for the first time. Pat Purdue is a sophomore and will probably split time with the JV. IN FRONT OF every successful backfield is a solid offensive line and the development of some seniors has given the Cougars more depth and flexibility. Graduation took Hopkins and tackle Jeff Harbison, but the broken foot last year to Troy Bryan allowed the Cougars to develop some depth for this season. Starting guards Scott Mason and Troy Bryan are back, moving Steve Tillotson to the tackle position he started at last year and Dwight Griffith is back at the other tackle spot. Tom Purdue is safely in the middle at center. “We’ll play defense, we’ll hit you, you might trick us, but we’ll play defense,” said Roe of
joined by first year linebacker Mike Rader. While Meyer has experience and strength through year round work and playing with the experienced 1978 team, starting as a sophomore, Rader has a special gift. “Rader is kind of unique. He’s not very big, he’s 5-9,153 pounds, his technique is usually wrong and how he gets there, but he’s always in the right Col. 1, back page, this section
his defensive unit. North Putnam gave up 13.8 points per game defensively and had one shutout during the season. Just about everyone is back. On one end of the line is allWCC defensive end David McGaughey, with all-WCC linebacker Steve Tillotson right behind him. The other end has Glen Logan with Tom Purdue, middle linebacker last year, behind him. When Bryan broke his foot last year Purdue moved to the middle, but Bryan is back in the middle, giving North Putnam three experienced linebackers. Matt Brown and Mark Bryan add some depth. DEFENSIVE TACKLE positions go to seniors Bill Brown and Dan Lucas. Both are seniors out for the first time. Brown (5-9,163 pounds) is quick and fast on his feet and Lucas is the biggest player on the team at 6-4,234 pounds. Two starters retum-Marty Fordice and David Mcßride-in the secondary. Fordice intercepted two of North Putnam’s five passes last year and anchors the aerial defense. Bobby Smith and David Williams, both sophomores, went to football camp this summer learning the position. Chet Clodfelter, Simon and Craig O’Hair (also a sophomore) are battling for the last position. Illness has helped develop the Cougar depth this year, but a key to North Putnam success is going to be the offense. “We’ve got to get something going offensively. We have to win two or three ball games by less than a touchdown. Last year, if we had scored one more touchdown over the season, we would have been 9-1,” summarized Roe. North Putnam lost four games by less than a touchdown. Simon won’t have to put the ball over the goal line everytime he gets the Cougars close because there is always Glen Logan. The junior kicked field goals from as far out as 25 yards last year with consistency. ROE FEELS his football teams are conference contenders every year, not just this year. He sees four teams North Col. 1. back page, this section
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