Blue Ridge High School - Cresta Azul Yearbook (Lakeside, AZ)

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3 ,IJ Jcickets meet hedt, T000 in Tempe Stcidium by Joe Hochevar The team broke from the gate with a dismal O-4 record, but with all losses by mere one or two-run margins, the early record was no indication of the team's true ability. The only category in which BR led the league during that stretch was rotten weather. Never- theless, it was a good thing BR had those games on the schedule, for they provided BR with the only glimpses of a baseball field. Between games, BR would return to the gym and hit whif- fle balls. Small wonder then, that BR's initial approach to the game of hard- ball was somewhat tentative. The team was striking out on pitches as fat as cantaloupes. They were kicking room service grounders. BR was out of its element on a ball field. ln spite of i l 1 TN, tffitkfsi M 86 BASEBALL all that, they were respectable in every one of those early games. On April 5, with the season a month and a half old, BR entertained hard- hitting, slick-fielding Payson in the home opener. They were the much better team that day, playing the game the way Blue Ridge would be playing a month later in Tempe Sta- dium. The Jackets finished with a vic- tory over the St. Johns Redskins to win a berth in the State playoffs. The team finished with a 6-2 mark in the B-North Conference and 7-9 overall for the regular season. By the season's end, they were hitting with authority and fielding with confidence. ln the State playoff game against Thatcher, played in 100 degree heat, the Blue Ridge bats rattled six or seven shots off the distant fences of the Seattle Mariners' Spring park, Tempe Stadium. Although BR lost the game, 13-9, the team came back two times from large deficits to make the game exciting up until the final out. No Blue Ridge team has ever hit the ball consistently harder than this year's version did at season's end. Seniors Tim Pacheco, Toby Castillo, Robert Padilla, Bill Abbey, Jerry Ran- kin, and Greg Strauss would be sorely missed the next year. But, an experi- enced nucleus would be provided by Juniors Mitch Jordan, Troy Marble, Joe Hochevar, and Brian Straight, along with Sophomores Todd Gon- zales, Terry Pacheco, and a strong assist from some of this year's JV reg- ulars. Q A ' in S ff -' if

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i . ' I w V .-. rx S wan lQ L2 l KF? S7 J Wrestling Scores Payson St. Johns Show Low Round Valley Round Valley Holbrook Tournament Bart Hackemack 3rd Place Heavyweight Gilbert Pacheco 4th Place 155 Show Low Tournament Bart Hackemack lst Place Heavyweight Joseph City Tournament Bart Hackemack 1st Place Heavyweight Toby Castillo 3rd Place 191 District Tournament Bart Hackemack 2nd Place Heavyweight Toby Castillo 3rd Place 191 Robert Padilla 3rd Place 145 Gilbert Pacheco 3rd Place 155 Opponent 62 up--v-, F X . . -J , rxx-ut? ' X iiii ' 1 ,,l,,.. so .. P -i ii it K 9 :.. A .1-f 'v Page 84. 1. Bart Hackemack, Gilbert Pacheco, and Randy Sayer have a little fun before the meet. 2. Robert Padilla pins a Round Valley opponent. 3. Gilbert Pacheco strives to pin a St. Johns wrestler. Page 85. 1. Randy Sayer works hard to break away from Round Valley wrestler. 2. David Cartier pushes to pin a Cougar oppo- nent. 3. Robert Padilla sticks a Round Valley wrestler. 4. Toby Castillo works to pin Show Low Cougar Mike Freeze. 5. Bart Hackemack pushes to get loose from a Round Valley opponent. Some pictures on these pages courtesy of: The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, AZ. WRESTLING 85 in FW

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, 5' on-sq-. K ,Q Q. ,.-.Q , ff, '79, f 5 ,. me 4 E L K I ' . t K, .N,,,..e .. . ,Q A . W. ' ,,, W 4 J' f' . '11-1 r if -- Q, .,. - 1, v- HJ, qi. '-ev... g ' f, -5 -w. Q' .. . A . t . - .. A., -. we-e s....,. . .. ....,, ..1,' iagw...,,L. -s ' e 1,.5'su R, ie., 'Q Y M: .. xl,..wm Y 5. . ww'- gls -so Aj t ,N W,-Q? .iff ff if-3 ' TW Page 86. 1. Joe Hochevar lets a high ball go by as he awaits a choice pitch. 2. Mitch Jordan's bat uncoils against Alchesay. 3. Terry Pacheco takes a lead off of third base, as Coach Farrar gives guidance. Page 87. 1. Ezra Borrego waits for a pitch against the Payson J.V. team. 2. Catcher Troy Marble clinches a strike-out pitch against an Alchesay batter. 3. Tim Pacheco heaves a curve ball from the mound as Joe Hochevar readies himself. 4. Taking a lead off third base, Ronnie Wilson watches the pitcher. -NF L... 'Y' 'w.....,.-fr'- S r it W' -MM, .,,Q.V?i.Miu 41241427 I ft., :if au., K -ix, ' .Aj , A 4 f, M, . U H 4 foam, , M- i , Ak .1 u f' ' do ..f.,...,... ..-- .,.,. 'enum ' .kv- ,-A, ,A - so fra- '-,. ...- Varsity Baseball Scores BR Opponent 1 Snowflake 3 Hoseph City Tournament 2 Seligman 3 4 iiShow Low 6 4 Holbrook 5 4 Snowflake 1 1 8 St. Johns 5 12 Round Valley 5 7 Joseph City 8 2 Payson 10 11 Round Valley 5 2 Show Low 12 14 Joseph City 5 1 1 Alchesay 7 8 St. Johns 5 6 Show Low 15 9 State Playoff 13 BASEBALL 87 .-5. ... .