Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 120, Number 32, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 20 August 1997 — Page 35

Early schedule will tell the tale for Vikes

RUSTY NIXON Sports Writer MENTONE A tough schedule, and a young experienced team will be the mix as Tippecanoe Valley takes the field to start the 1997 season. Opening games with powerhouse North Judson and SA Warsaw and a controlled scrimmage with Plymouth will start the ball rolling for the Vikings as they try to repeat the success of 1996. “We feel like if we’re going to do well in 3A we have to play a challenging schedule,” said Valley coach Scott Bibler. “Playing those teams is going to help us in conference play and challenge us to be stronger.” Valley will' take on Three Rivers Conference foes Manchester, Northfield and Rochester all on the road. Having Southwood, Oak Hill and North Miami at home only slightly eases the task. To make it tougher, North Wood and Lakeland stand in the way of a Valley sectional title. With only two returning

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starters on offense and four on defense, it is a very untested team that Bibler will send to the field to meet the challenge. Jeremy Fox, Matt Baker, James Dawson and Jason

Parker anchor a

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defense that ' will be the backbone of the squad.

“Jeremy Fox got a lot of recognition last year at defensive tackle,” said A Bibler of his big

lineman. “He’s really \ come a long way as ai offensive lineman too sc

we’re looking at him to be a * solid starter for us both ways. The Vikings return Baker,

Parker and Dawson at linebacker all of him did solid work a year ago. Parker will be asked to play fullback this season as well, and has impressed the coach in the early going. “He’s running well, he’s a hard runner,” said Bibler. “His blocking is getting better everyday, so we look for him to be a plus for us on offense.”

Bibler has been pleased with the performance of Orville Haley as well who will play split end on offense and defensive end. “I know that’s a weird combination but he’s really doing a decent job for us at defensive He played some at

defensive secondary ifor us a year ago and r we moved him to k defensive end.” jL Replacing P Nick Stutzman at halfback will be the

F assignment of Eric Prater. Bibler likes what

die newcomer brings to the position. “Nick had good speed but he was a power runner,

he wasn’t going to make a lot of people miss,” said Bibler. “Prater brings another dimension to that tailback spot. He can make some things happen with his speed.” Several players have been asked to move positions. Among them, Charlie Wise has impressed Bibler with his move from tight end to center.

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“He’s really made a nice transition to center. He’s played that tight end spot so he has done some blocking but he’s really making a nice switch. Mike Lukens at tackle and Dawson at guard are the only returners on the line, and so will be expected to anchor the corp that will determine much of the offensive production. Bibler is upbeat about his Vikings chances with the tradi-

tion o f out-

Tippecanoe Valley Vikings 8/22 @ North Judson 8/29 WARSAW 9/5 ©Manchester 9/12 SOUTHWOOD 9/19 @ Northfield 9/26 OAK HILL 10/3 ©Rochester 10/10 NORTH MIAMI 10/17 @Whitko

Football Tab, 1997

standing football at Tippecanoe Valley, but knows the early schedule will test the mettle of his club. “We’ve been blessed over the years with a great tradition and a lot of great athletes here,” said Bibler. “Starting with the scrimmage with Plymouth and then the games with North Judson and Warsaw we’ll find out who wants to play football real fast.”