Coronado High School - Legend Yearbook (El Paso, TX)

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frustrated I -bird repeatedly missed crucial baskets that could have possibly enabled them to pull ahead. But the Mustangs continued to take advantage of Coronado’s weaknesses; and with 5:11 remaining in the game, the Mustangs had a 31-23 advantage over the dazed T-hirds. With 1:29 showing on the clock, and the deafening shouting battle going on between the fans, Larry Jones was knocked to the floor by a Burges defender and was charged with the foul as he was being carried off the court with a badly-bruised hip. or the remaining minute, the Coronado supporters angrily protested the official’s call; but nevertheless, the seconds ticked away. As the final buzzer sounded, the ragged Coronado crew stared in disgusted disbelief at the 46-32 Burges victory. Although many of their dreams and goals were not realized, the Thunderbird cagers emerged from the shadow of last year’s team to reinforce Coronado’s newly-made basketball legend. But more importantly, the basketball players learned how to play, how to win and how to lose as a team. With the success of last year’s team weighing heavily on their minds, the T-birds entered the district 1-AAAA post-season basketball tournament with the goal of surpassing the ’78-’79 bi-district championship team. The confident T-bird squad and its faithful fans journeyed to the L’TEP Special Events Center to contend with fourth-place Jefferson in the first round of the play-offs on Feb. 20. The continuous cheering of the Coronado crowd came to a sudden halt when the Foxes jumped out to an early lead and fronted the overconfident Thunderbirds 18-14 at the half. The bewildered T-bird cagers headed for the lockerroom. shocked at the Jefferson lead. As the intermission came to an close, the Birds emerged knowing they were going to have to fight hard in order to win the game. The halftime did a world of good for Coronado, as playmaker Larry Jones ignited a 12-point scoring spree early in the third period to put the T hirds ahead 21-20. A basket by Kurt Spier, a top-of-the-circle shot by Jones and a lay-up by Spier capped the scoring streak. In the fourth quarter, the strong T- bird cagers drilled three quick baskets and coasted through the rest of the game for a 44-31 victory over the stubborn Silver Foxes. With this their second straight finals berth, the triumphant T-bird cagers were well on their way to another district championship. The following evening, the Thunderbirds again traveled to the Special Events Center to contend with third-seeded Burges in the second round of the post-season tournament. From start to finish, it seemed as though the T-birds could not muster enough strength to control the ball game. Even though Coronado had the Mustangs’ two top scorers benched with four personal fouls each, the Thunderbirds had trouble putting the ball through the hoop, and Burges owned a 26-23 edge early in the game. As the game tediously wore on, the The T-bird cagers emerged from the shadow of last years team to reinforce their newly- made basketball legend. 138 the challenge

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After repeating victories against .ndress and Austin, the T-bird cagers lashed with the Irvin Rockets on eb. 5 at the Thunderbird gym. As the game got underway, the owdy Coronado crowd suddenly ecame quiet when the Rockets took n early five point lead. However. Curt Spier rallied back to score six askets in the first half; and with the id of his teammates, the hunderbirds fronted Irvin 30-24 at he intermission. The fierce competition kept the apacitv crowd on its feet for the najority of the second half. Larry ones picked off the ball and found bpier open for the lay-up shot and a 10-49 advantage with four minutes eft in the game. Kurt Spier fouled out of the game vith 1:21 to play, after a Rocket orward converted on a three-point lay, slicing the T-bird edge to 52-50. rvin’s Tony Waters and T-bird orward John Williams then traded ree shots for a 54-52 Coronado lead. Several seconds later, Larry Jones nade a return trip to the stripe, flitting the first end of a bonus call with nine second remaining, for a 55- 2 margin. Donald Rogers scored one joint on a free throw after he was ouled. pSENIOR WAYNE SALEM charges past two efferson opponents to raise the score two more loints. Before the Coronado fans could even breathe a sigh of relief, Irvin’s Greg Beshears drove the length of the court for two points, leaving one second on the clock. Rogers went to the line again after he was fouled, but missed the shot. The last second ticked away, and the T-birds had a 56-54 triumph over the frustrated Rockets. Kurt Spier and Gary Holsten were the only T-bird double figure scorers with 21 and 10 points respectively. Larry Jones finished with nine points, John Williams chipped in eight, while an injured Wayne Salem played the entire game and scored seven points. On Feb. 8, while freezing snow was falling outside, a heated battled raged inside, when the Thunderbirds traveled to the other side of the mountain for a rematch against the Burges Mustangs. After four long quarters, and three explosive overtimes, the Mustangs squeezed out a 40-38 victory that put an abrupt end to Coronado’s ten- game winning streak. Coronado repeated victories against Bowie and Jefferson to close out the district season with a 13-1 record and to again put the T-birds in the post-season playoffs. ♦SENIOR GARY HELSTEN shoots for two points while the helpless Irvin defenders look on. Varsity Basketball 28-6 69 52 L.P.I. 50 48 Andress 80 44 Parkland 54 35 Austin 76 63 Bel Air 49 45 Irvin 67 68 Eastwood 57 37 Burges 60 45 Andress 43 27 El Paso 50 31 El Paso 43 26 Bowie 40 35 Burges 62 55 Jefferson 46 44 Mayfield 81 55 Andress 59 51 Madison 44 33 Austin 90 77 • Hobbs 56 54 Irvin 42 54 Houston Milby 38 40 Burges 57 56 Ysleta 59 41 El Paso 90 97 Hobbs 63 52 Bowie 42 49 Eastwood 64 46 Jefferson 64 52 Sunnyside 44 31 Jefferson 64 41 Amphi 32 46 Burges 50 33 Ysleta 55 51 Ysleta varsity basketball

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I ' t DCRINC THK Jefferson name, all distict guard I-j»rry Jones shoots for two, while all dis trict postman Kurt Spier is ready to help. f KASII.Y TOWKRING OVKK the Humes oppo nents. senior guard John Williams shoots for two points. 4 Al.I.-DISTRICT guard Carv Helsten executes a key defensive play l y blocking a Jefferson basket. • JDNIORCKKC SIMKK drives down the court, while a Jefferson defender makes a futile attempt at catching him. varsity basketball 139