Dixon High School - Dixonian Yearbook (Dixon, IL)

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Front: Stephanie Heather. Laura Bearman. Teresa Janoskey, Andrea KoNer. Judy Bowser. Michelle Reinhold. Sheila Vancil. Back: Carin Chidley. Michael Ann Schafer. Tracy Smith. Joanna Smith. Jenny Russell. Frosh-Soph Bowling Phillips Swims West Phillips. Freshman, represented Dixon High School at the 1987 Boys' State Sectional Swim Meet at Moline on February 21. He swam the 50 Yard Freestyle in 29.85 seconds for a 16th place finish and the 100 Yard Freestyle in 1:13.14 minutes for a 17th place finish. He swam against swimmers from United Township. Galesburg. Macomb. Moline. Ottawa Mar- quette. Ottawa. Quincy. Rock Island, and Strerling. Above: Coach Johnson laughs at the ball Tracy Smith threw in the gutter Left Below: Lynn tries to teach Barb the correct deep-knee bend needed for powerful strikes. Below: Michelle Reinhold is so em- barrassed of her score, and knows there will be room for improvement next game. 29

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Front: Barb Chidley. Carrie Rex. Sarah Keller. Monie Schoaf, Teresa Wickert, Kim McIntyre. Back: Coach Jim Johnson. Julie Thomas. Christy Mertz. Lynn Toms. Lori Worrell. Julie Bushman. Above: Christy Mertz shows everyone her state-qualifying bowling form. Above Right: Christy and Barb demonstrate their new precision spot- bowling technique. Right: Lynn Toms displays her Second-Place medal from the Rock Island sectional. Dixon Sends Two Bowlers To State ‘‘Crash! The pins were knocked down by the velocity of the ball, rumbling through the bowling alley. I could hear the noise, which in this sport signaled music to the bowlers' ears. They worked on their skill-correcting their curves, wrist angles, and overall form. I was happy to see two girls go to state — a sing of their success. They earned it. The bowling season rolled off to a good start under first year coach Jim Johnson. The first match of the year ended with a win over Kewanee during Saturday Invitational competition. The team grew progressively stronger, and the Dixon Duchesses placed seventh at the Kewanee Invitational, fifth at Illinois Valley Central, and second at Abington. A week before sectional competition, the Dixon Invitational took place, which featured many of the top teams in the state. The Duchesses finished eleventh in the twenty-three team event, led by Lynn Toms with a high game of 218 and a 1,007 series. At sectionals in Rock Island, the varsity team consisted of Lynn Toms, Christy Mertz, Julie Thomas, Jenny Russell and Tracy Smith. The girls put forth a fine effort, but couldn’t advance as a team to the state finals in Peoria. The team’s final score was 4,829. Two Duchesses did capture individual honors; Lynn Toms received second place with 1,100 pins and Christy Mertz qualified with 1,059 pins. The first round at the semi-finals placed Toms seventh and Mertz eighteenth. In the final rounds of the IHSA State Tourney, Toms finished tenth and Mertz twenty-eighth. High scores for the year were High Average 160, High Game 242, High Series 599; all were accomplished by Lynn Toms who was selected Most Valuable Player of the year. The Varsity Record was 6-5 in duels. Right: Coach Jim Johnson smiles with pride of the success of his bowling Duchesses. 28

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VARSITY FOOTBALL Front: Matt Reed, Tom Spaine, Jim Kiser, Chad Schmidt, Jim Lance, Kevin Butler. Dennis Drew, Tom Elmendorf, Jeff Fleming, Todd Cole, Ed Lawton. Middle: Steve James. Jim Rodriquez. Tom Duffy. Brian Smith, Scott Slagle. Luke Dixon, Shawn Ortigiesen, Ben Schaab, Mark Qusse, Keith Bollman, Carl Johnson. Back: Bill Tietgen, Mark Wohrley, Rick Helfrich, Ron Griffin, Matt Guthrie. Art Sturms, Mark Dallas, Chris Stephenitch, Brad Lawton. Matt Heckman. “This year I watched the football team, a combination of talented sophomores, juniors, and seniors. Those who were healthy played their best and never lost team spirit. I was extremely touched when the team sang after their last home vic- tory over Sterling. I was also sad though when the seniors walked slowly off the field, glancing back to take one last look. The Dixon High School’s 1986 foot- ball season was not full of easy victories. They finished with a record of three wins and six losses including a season opening blow-out against Fulton. Their 8-0 defeat over arch-rival Sterling was another big one. Mark Kaczmarek, Grant Smith, Greg Sprenger were new additions to the coaching staff, joining Rich Lawton, Dan Demmer, Roger Coleman, Bob Hamel, and Dan Fiorini. This season was a stepping stone to producing a strong football program in the future. This year injuries seemed to be a deciding factor in most of the games. They plagued the team, crippling the confidence that the players greatly needed. Shawn Ortgieson, Ben Schaab, Ron Griffin, and Tom Elmendorf were just a few of the players who sat out with injuries. These injuries gave sophomores Rodney Stinson, Shane Miller, and Tracy Forest a chance to play at the varsity level. Though their record may not appear to be good, this year’s team played well. Seniors Tom Duffy and Rick Helfrich were named to the All-Conference team, while Stinson, Griffin, Kevin Butler and Matt Guthrie were Honorable Mention All-Conference. This season new talent emerged that will be back to play again next year. Opposite Page: 1. Refreshed and ready to play again. (Chad Schimdt and Jimmy Lance) 2. Luke Dixon, anticipating crushing a ball carrier. 3. Ron Griffin to Coach Demmer. “I want the ball. Give me the ball!” 4. The Dixon team says, “Bring it on!” 5. The Duke's offensive linemen in the tren- ches awaiting combat. 6. Rodney Stinson: A Lean Mean Fighting Machine. Fulton 44-6 DeKalb 6-44 Rochelle 8-42 Geneseo 0-34 LaSalle-Peru 6-7 Streator 0-25 Sterling 8-0 Ottawa 26-20 Rock Falls 10-35 30