Banner Graphic, Volume 12, Number 85, Greencastle, Putnam County, 16 December 1981 — Page 9

1981 All-Putnam County Football Team

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MARK BRYAN Guard-linebacker

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DAVID RILEY Linebacker

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FRED SPENCER Linebacker

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BRAD MENDENHALL Linebacker

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MIKE BRUCE Defensive end

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HANK LAWSON Defensive end

Bryan and Blochertake double honors

Surprising balance shows up on ballots casts by county coaches

By STEVE FIELDS Banner-Graphic Sports Editor Instead of a Thanksgiving Day announcement, the 1981 AllPutnam County high school football team comes as a Christmas present for 22 high school athletes this year. The four county high school varsity football coaches and Ban-ner-Graphic Sports Department have selected 21 seniors and a sophomore to this year’s team, based upon their performances during the season. ONLY SIX PLAYERS REPEATED all-county honors from last year’s team and only two earned all-county honors at more than one position. North Putnam’s Hank Lawson, Marty Edwards and Mark Bryan, Greencastle’s Ron Secrest and Jay Newnum and Cloverdale’s Mark McCammon are seniors earning a second all-county team berth. Bryan and North teammate Tim Blocher, the only underclassman as a sophomore selection, were voted to the squad in more than one position. Bryan retained his all-county guard spot and also earned all-county honors at linebacker. Blocher actually earned three, being selected at running back, kicker and punter. By no means are the final team records reflected in the allcounty voting. North Putnam, the only team with a winning record this year at 7-3, placed eight players on the team. Greencastle’s 4-6 team is represented by four players, while South Putnam’s 3-7 record is represented by six members. Cloverdale’s 2-8 year is represented by five players. ALONG WITH BEING NAMED to the all-county team at twc positions, Bryan, who called the defensive signals for North this season, was selected to the All-West Central Conference team at guard and received special mention in the prestigious Bloomington Herald-Telephone class A All-State team at both positions. If Lawson is good enough to make first team All-State class A on the Bloomington Herald-Telephone’s team, honorable mention on the Associated Press All-State team and All-WCC for the second year in a row, he certainly is good enough to make the all-county team. The 6-4, 218-pound, three-sport athlete was allcounty at tight end last year, but made it at defensive end this season by leading the Cougars in tackles and quarterback sacks. Joining Lawson at defensive end is South Putnam’s Mike Bruce. The 6-0, 165-pound senior moved to this county from Colorado where he started and lettered for his high school team. Bruce made 65 total tackles, five solo, three quarterback sacks, intercepted a pass and recovered a fumble for the Eagles. BRYAN IS JOINED BY Greencastle’s David Riley and South Putnam’s Fred Spencer and Brad Mendenhall at the four linebacker positions. Riley, who sometimes played defensive end, was second on the Greencastle team in defensive points with 131. The 6-0, 165pound senior honor roll student also intercepted two passes and recovered two fumbles. At 5-9,150-pounds, Spencer looks more like a defensive back, but the senior led South Putnam this year with 264 total tackles, 15 solo and 242 assisted, one solo sack and six assisted sacks In addition, he forced two opposing turnovers. Mendenhall missed the last five games of the year because of knee surgery, but contributed greatly to the Eagles’ victories over Rockville and Cloverdale. The 5-8, 165-pound senior made 79 tackles in five games, two solo, 74 assisted, two solo sacks and assisted in four quarterback sacks. CLOVERDALE’S MARK McCAMMON is the repeat membei of the all-county secondary. The 5-9, 155-pound, three-sport

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DOUG SMITH Defensive tackle

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MARTY EDWARDS Offensive tackle

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PAT PURDUE Defensive back

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RONSECREST Running back

Seniors dominate 1981 voting All-County Offense Ht. Wt. CL Pos. Bill Chestnut, Cloverdale 5-11 159 12 QB Steve Smith, South Putnam 5-11 170 12 RB Ron Secrest, Greencastle* 6-0 170 12 RB Tim Blocher, North Putnam 6-2 206 10 RB Charlie Sage, Greencastle 6-0 205 12 C Mark Bryan, North Putnam* 6-0 173 12 G Brent Jones, Cloverdale 5-11 167 12 G Marty Edwards, North Putnam* 5-11 190 12 T Myron Page, North Putnam 6-0 180 12 T Jim Price, Cloverdale 6-3 188 12 TE Darrell Garrison, Cloverdale 5-7 135 12 SE All-County Specialist Ht. Wt. Cl. Pos. Tim Blocher, North Putnam 6-2 206 10 P/K All-County Defense Ht. Wt. Cl. Pos. Doug Smith, South Putnam 6-1 180 12 T Jay Newnum, Greencastle* 6-1 170 12 T Mike Bruce, South Putnam 6-0 165 12 E Hank Lawson, North Putnam* 6-4 218 12 E Mark Bryan, North Putnam* 6-0 173 12 LB David Riley, Greencastle 6-0 165 12 LB Fred Spencer, South Putnam 5-9 150 12 LB Brad Mendenhall, South Putnam 5-8 165 12 LB Mark McCammon, Cloverdale* 5-9 155 12 DB Bob Smith, North Putnam 5-9 151 12 DB Pat Purdue, North Putnam 5-10 158 12 DB Troy Thompson, South Putnam 5-10 155 12 DB * All-County repeat selections

athlete, who missed two games due to injuries, still managed to make 43 tackles to lead the Clovers in defensive points with 136. It is safe to say Bobby Smith was the key to North’s secondary. According to Cougar statistics, Smith intercepted a pass in every game he played. The 5-9 senior played in seven games and had seven interceptions. “Pat Purdue was our steadiest defensive back through the course of the season,” coach Roe said of the 5-10, 158-pound senior. Purdue picked off three passes for the year, two against Cloverdale. Troy Thompson made 73 tackles for South Putnam to earn allcounty honors. The 5-10, 155-pound senior did not intercept a pass all year, but made nine solo tackles in the secondary, assisted in 62 others and came through with two sacks. AS THE ONLY SOPHOMORE and the only underclassman on the all-county team Blocher had to have an impressive second

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TROY THOMPSON Defensive back

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JAYNEWNUM Defensive tackle

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BOBBY SMITH Defensive back

MARKMcCAMMON Defensive back

varsity season. Not only did the county’ 'eading scorer (96 points) rush for nearly 800 yards and scor 13 touchdowns, but he also averaged 40 yards per punt. The 6-2, 206-pounder also earned all-county kicking honors by putting his kickoffs into the end zone on most occasions. Last year Steve Smith rushed more than 600 yards before missing the last four games with a knee injury. The 5-11, 170pound Eagle halfback made up for it this year with 794 yards rushing, a 4.7 yard-per-carry average. Earning All-WCC honors, he scored 56 of South’s school-record 142 total points this year on eight touchdowns and one point-after touchdown. Like Smith and Blocher. Ron Secrest was unanimously voted to the all-county team. For the second year in a row the 6-6,170-pound Tiger Cub rushed for more than 600 yards, gaining 652 in 132 attempts this year for a 4.9 yard-per-carry average. He scored seven touchdowns and was voted to the All-WCC team. WHEN BILLY CHESTNUT was voted the all-county quarterback it was a tribute to his athletic ability. The 5-11, 159pound senior came back after not playing football his junior year to complete 64 of 152 passes for 1,104 yards. The lefthander’s speed and quickness made C cverdale’s option game dangerous as he ran for 387 yards. When coach Mike Stallcop’s backfield was riddled by injuries this year he went to the air on Chestnut's arm and the hands of tight end Jim Price and split end Darrell Garrison. Price, a 6-3, 188-po„id athlete caught 22 passes for 410 yards and seven touchdowns, which caught the eye of several small college football coaches. However, the all-county tight end, who earned All-WCC honors as a defensive lineman is also high on the lists of small college basketball and baseball coaches. Garrison is the kind of receiver who if the ball is anywhere near him -- like in the same county - he’s going to catch it. The 57, 135-pound split end caught 22 passes for a team-leading 441 yards and four Cloverdale touchdowns. ANY’TIME A RUNNING BACK has a good year carrying the football, or a quarterback a good year passing, it’s because somebody opened holes he could run through, or blocked out the charging defense long enough for him to pass the football. The all-county offensive line selections, for the most part, reflect upon the all-county offensive backfield. For instance, Chestnut was an option quarterback for Cloverdale and 5-7,167-pound Brent Jones was his pulling guard, or bodyguard. Jones’ reward was an all-county berth. Blocher, being the semi-truck kind of runner who needed a little time to pick up speed, received the support of three allcounty linemen. Bryan was, of course, a second-year selection at guard, as was Edwards at tackle. Myron Page earned his first all-county berth at the other offensive tackle position. THE 5-11,190-POUND Edwards was also voted All-WCC at offensive tackle. He received Associated Press All-State class A honorable mention at defensive tackle and also honorable mention on the Bloomington Herald-Telephone’s class A All-State team.

Secrest could run up the middle for Greencastle because of senior center Charlie Sage. The six-foot, 205-pound three-sport athlete is a first time all county team selection.

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BRENTJONES Guard

December 16,1981, The Putnam County Banner-Graphic

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BILL CHESTNUT Quarterback

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MYRON PAGE Offensive tackle

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TIM BLOCHER RB, K, P

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STEVE SMITH Running back

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JIM PRICE Tight end

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DARRELL GARRSION Split end

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CHARLIE SAGE Center

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