Banner Graphic, Volume 16, Number 326, Greencastle, Putnam County, 28 August 1986 — Page 18

Page 4

Wildman looks for some balance

Despite the fact that Tony Lewis and Brian Meek ~ Class A all state performers a year ago - are gone, South Putnam High School football coach Mark Wildman is confident his 1986 edition of the Eagles can get the job done. Lewis threw for over 2,000 yards at quarterback last season in leading South Putnam to a 9-4 overall record and appearance in the semistate. His favorite target was tight end Brian Meek, who amassed 673 yards on 48 catches. Meek hauled in six of Lewis’ 28 touchdown passes. “We’re not going to try and

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CHRIS ARNOLD

1986 SOUTH PUTNAM HIGH SCHOOL EAGLES

replace Lewis and Meek,” Wildman said earlier this month. “We’ve got people to fill those positions that will get the job done, but no one can expect them to have the same kind of years or careers that those two had. Schools just don’t have back-to-back all state performers at the same positions. “We’ll be adequate at quarterback and tight end but we’ll have other people in other positions picking up any slack. ’ ’ Meaning it will be a more balanced attack that Wildman and the Eagles will have this fall. Phrases like “ball control” and

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BRUCE BRIDGEWATER

“time consuming drives” are being heard around the SPHS camp this month as the Eagles prepare to open their season Friday night at home against West Central Conference power Tri-West. “Our personnel pretty well dictates we will have to play some ball controlled offense,” Wildman said. “We have some big play people and have the capability of scoring quickly, but we can’t build our offense around that. We have to be prepared to play ball control football this year.” Leading the offense will be

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BRIAN BRIDGEWATER

quarterback Chris Arnold, a 6foot senior who also will start on defense. “With Lewis gone, we will be inexperienced at quarterback,” the South Putnam mentor said. “But, I don’t feel the position will be a weak one. He’s very capable of doing well there. He’s just not tested yet. He’ll improve with experience.” Rolland Vickrey and the Bridgewater twins, Bruce and Brian, will handle most of the running duties this fall as Vickrey is inked in at fullback, Bruce at tailback and Brian at slotback. The Bridgewater duo

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ROLLAND VICKREY

are two of the boys Wildman said could provide some big play punch. “We will probably need a 1,000yard season out of Bruce,” Wildman said of his tailback. “And if I had to rely on someone to do it for me, Bruce is who I’d pick. He will be a key for us. We’re going to depend on him a lot and if he stays healthy, he can get the job done. “Brian will be one of those guys we will use in a lot of different ways. Being a slotback, he will get the football via the handoff, the pitch and the pass and he will Continued on page 5

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TEGE LEWIS