Blackford High School - Reflections Yearbook (Hartford City, IN)

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Experience helps Young netters improve They say things improve with age and that is exactly what a young Bruin tennis team did. Under the guidance of second year coach Mr. Mick Clay, they finished with an 8- 8 record for the season. Last year ' s disappointing 3-14 season record and 2-4 conference record jumped to an 8-8 season mark and an impressive 5-2 CIC mark. This was good enough for second place in the conference. The entire varsity squad was composed of underclassmen. Ju- nior Doug Mills was the No. 1 sin- gles man all year. Doug ' s 13-5 was the team ' s best record. Junior Rusty Needier was the No. 2 man and had a 9-7 record. Singles play was rounded out by sophomore Bill Davis. Bill owned a 10-5 season record. Juniors Doug Goetz and Scott Twibell played No. 1 doubles and finished with a 9-7 record. Juniors John Faas and Rog- er Sch warzkopf teamed up for a 1-6 record in No. 2 doubles. Several other teammates combined during the season for the extra doubles matches. Coach Clay cited Doug Mills as the team ' s most consistent player. This was Doug ' s second year in the No. 1 singles slot. Doug was also named all conference for the sec- ond year in succession. Honorable Mention went to Doug Goetz, Scott Twibell, and Rusty Needier. The Bruins were eliminated in the sectional after a 4-1 win over South Adams in the first round, when in the second round they lost to a tough Jay County team by an 0-5 score. With all varsity members return- ing the team should have a strong nucleus for next year ' s varsity squad. No. 3 singles man Bill Davis puts all of his power into this return to his Bluffton oppo- nent. Bill ' s record this year was 10-5. tiit«rt- v ) Tennis Team (Bottom Row) Scott Sim- mons, Scott Twibell, Doug Goetz, Stacy Hamilton, Sean O ' Connel, Rob Bennett, Tim Hiday. (Row 2) Bill Danny, Rich Al- dridge. John Faas, Doug Mills, Roger Schwarzkopf. Bill Davis, Robyn Richman, Coach Mick Clay. Absent from picture; Rusty Needier. Misti Crull, Mgr. Kevin Smith. Throwing tennis balls is one of many du- ties of Coach Mick Clay. The second year coach improved his team ' s record from 3- 14 to this year ' s 8-8. 162 Tennis

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CROSS COUNTRY Season Record 3-4 CIC 1st BHS OPPONENT OPP 36 Bluffton 22 44 Muncie North 19 9th Blackford Invitational 5th Huntington Invitational 28 El wood 40 28 Tipton 51 3rd York town Invitational 29 Jay County 27 6th Port Wayne South Inv. 13th Manchester Inv. 41 Wayne 23 41 South Adams 76 1st CIC 2nd Blackford Sectional 6th Manchester Regional After finishing the state meet in Indianapolis, Greg walks into the judges to be assigned to his final finishing number. Coach Doug Osborn walks alone thinking about the final results of the 79 season. This was coach Osborn ' s first year as cross coun- try coach. i Cross Country 161

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The Bruins ' most consistent player and team leader, Doug Mills, strokes a low backhand across the court. Doug owned the team ' s best record. He went 13-5. Left handed Rusty Needier concentrates to hit one up the lines in his match. Rusty com- pleted the year with a winning 9-7 record. Varsity Tennis Record Season Record 8-8, CIC Record 5-2 BHS Opponent Muncie Central (can) 0pp. 2 Huntington North (B team) 3 1 Muncie North (A and B team) 4 4 Mississinewa 5 6 Madison Grand (A andB team) 1 Marion 5 S El wood 2 4th Connersville In v. 5 Peru (A and B team) 2 2 Jay County Muncie Burris (can) 3 4 Muncie South (A and B team) 1 4 Alexandria 3 1 Bluffton (A and B team) 4 Wabash 7 4 Norwell 1 6 Tipton (A and B team) 1 2 Huntington North Sectional 3 4 South Adams 1 Jay County 5 Tennis 163