Atwood Hammond High School - Post Yearbook (Atwood, IL)

Page 11 text:

Halfbacks Fritz Boll and John Spencer. Coach Strack. We are the Okaw Champs! We are No. 1!” This was the chant by the Atwood-Hammond Rajahs and their fans after completing their 8-0 season with a 26-6 win over Sullivan. Thirteen years had elapsed since the last time A-H had won the Okaw Championship which, as now. was shared by Areola in 1955. Under the leadership of Coach Lynn Strack and his assistants Dean Strobel and Larry Bradford, the victorious Rajahs completed their season with five shutouts and only 25 points being scored against them. No touchdown passes were thrown on the A-H team and only three runs of more than 20 yards were made against the Rajahs all season. The defensive backs intercepted 13 passes. Fifty-four of 102 passes were completed with only four interceptions. The Rajahs rushed for 1,593 yards and passed for 894, or a total of 2,487 yards. Their opponents rushed for 627 and passed for 466, a total of 1,093. Fritz Boll became top Okaw scorer with 87 points and he totaled 99 points for the season. John Spencer was next with 51 points. Leading tackier was Doug Reeder with 55 solos and 39 assists. Steve Willoughby had 47 solo tackles Tackles Lee Louret.Mike Sebens.John White, Doug Reeder. and 25 assists. Tim Burk passed to 12 touchdowns and ran for two. Halfback Fritz Boll, Quarterback Tim Burk, tackle Doug Reeder, and end Bob Helfrich were selected to the Okaw Valley All-Star Team. Coach Strack summed up the winning season by saying, Our success was due to tremendous desire and unusual closeness among the boys.” The freshman-sophomore team finished the season with a total of 2 wins and 4 losses. The frosh-sophs scored 73 points in all games played; their opponents scored 74. The leading scorer by rushing was freshman Tom Myers. Freshman Dan Stephenson caught the most touchdown passes. Sophomore Mike Romine completed the most tackles. The freshman team won 2 games and lost one. The frosh team scored 68 points, while their opponents scored only 38. Freshman football players were fairly strong this year and should improve to be great players in a couple of years. 7

Page 10 text:

Backfield Kneeling: Mike Stephenson, Robert Fay, Tim Burk, Kent Phalen. Standing: Mike Mayhall and Rick Ashmore. Guards: Clarence Snyder, Gary Sebens, Bob Burgener and Larry Nickell. Centers Standing: Dave Cole. Stooping: Norman Willoughby, Steve Willoughby. 6

Page 12 text:

Ends standing: Steve Mutch, Brian Fay, Larry Conner, Morris Huffman, Randy Beck, Bob Helfrich, assistant coach Dean Strobel. Stooping: Lyle Eastin. Front row: Mike Romine, Tom Myers, Dan Barnett, Gary Ernst, Rex Sutton, Charles Romine, Jim Stillwell. Second row: Mike Bragg, Jim Reeder, Larry Spencer, Mike Ulbricht, Keith Standerfer, Kevin Reeder, Mike Threet, Ronnie Osborne. Third row: Charles Willey, Mike Stirrett, Steve Perkins, David Dyer, Tom Scheffer, Randy West, Nolan Black. Fourth row: Larry Bradford, assistant coach; Rick Ashmore, Ronnie Day, Kenny Patton, John Harshbarger, Tom Quick, Dan Stephenson, Mike Mayhall. e