Grafton High School - Re Echo Yearbook (Grafton, WV)

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Charlie Satterfield, Paul Whetsel, Buddy McKeen, Paul Welsh, Kyle Harmon, Jerry Duckworth, Roger Bennet, Albert Mayle, Skip Kisner, Phil Cleer. ROW 4: Robert Sayers, Jim Hulley, Dannie Starford, Randy Durrett, Toby DeBarr, Andy Springs, John Bord, John Reed, Arnold Shaffer, Rick DeMoss, Carl Pinnel. ROW 5: Managers: Jay Louzy, Donald Taylor, Eddie Poling, Roger Ware. Randall McKinney Athletic Director Lawrence Spadafore Head Football Ass't Basketball James Manno Ass't Football Freshman Coach Francis Nester Head Basketball Baseball 23

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FOOTBALL 1965 The Grafton High School Bearcats completed a successful season as they came up with five victories, four defeats, and one tie. It was a rugged season all the way as the fighting Bearcats fought to become one of the powers of the Big Ten. There was much anticipation in the air on that first Friday night, as the Bearcats traveled to Philippi to plan the Philip-Barbour Colts. The Bearcats were going into their opener with a back-field full of veterans and two experienced ends. However, the interior line was inexperienced and many waited to see if the new line could come through. It was quite a battle all the way that saw Grafton on top at the end by the score of 13 to 6. The next game saw Grafton faced with a fine Bridgeport team. The Bearcats scored first, but two second-quarter touchdowns on the part of Bridgeport proved to be the margin of victory as Bridgeport won 13 to 6. The next opponent for GHS was W-I in Clarksburg. The Bearcats fought the Hill-toppers on even ground all the way and the final score was Grafton 6 and W-I 6. The Bearcats then returned to McKinney Field and picked up their second win of the season as they handed West Fairmount a 14 to 6 beating. The next week saw Grafton pitted against a strong Buckhannon team. This was the game everyone was waiting for a B-U wras rated as one of the top five teams in the State. The Bearcats scratched and scratched and watched the Buccaneers touchdown for touchdown and with less than two minutes on the clock, Grafton was on top 24 to 20. Then disaster struck as the GHS quarterback, Larry Spadafore, who played brilliantly all evening long, broke his leg attempting to make a tackle. The Bearcats had lost their signal caller for the rest of the season and to make matters worse, Buckhannon scored in the last minute and a half to win the game 27 to 24. Things looked rather bad for GHS going into the next week, but the Bearcats with that determination to win ran over Weston 20-6. The next two weeks were dark ones for the Grafton as the Bearcats were faced with two experienced, rugged teams. GHS suffered their third and fourth defeats to East Fairmont 19-7 and Morgantown 12-7. The Bearcats, determined to get back in the win column ended the season on a happy note by crushing Shinnston 38-7 and shutting out Elkins 20-0. It was a season of ups and downs; but now that it was over, it could be seen that it was a success. There were many fine individual performances on the part of the Bearcats as seven of the first eleven were given honors. David Dalton was named to the All-Big Ten Conference Team and also was selected as honorable mention to the All-State Team. Bob Starford was chosen as honorable mention to the All-State Team and also honorable mention to the All-Big Ten Conference Team. Five other Bearcats, including Jim Reed, Larry Spadafore, Bob Willis, Chuck Ewers, and Tim Gerkins were chosen honorable mention to the All Conference Team. It was a team effort all the way as each contributed his share to make the season a success. Much of the credit must be given to Coach Spadafore for putting together a winning combination and bringing a winning season back to Grafton High. Varsity Football ROW 1: Bob Willis, Dave Dalton, Larry Spadafore, Chuck Ewers, Bob Starford, Eddie Miller, Jim Reed, Ronnie Lawson, Jim Mullins, Edwin McCartney, Tim Gerkins. ROW 2: P. J. Louzy, Bill Butler, Don Hendershot, Charles Mikels, Richard Hebb, Kenny Reed, Richard Poling, Joe Newlon, Ercel Mayle, David Jones, Larry Reed, Donnie Stevens. ROW 3: Steve Sterling, Louie Spadafore, 22

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David Dalton HB All-Conference Honorable Mention All-State Chuck Ewers FB Honorable Mention All-Conference Tim Gerkin E Honorable Mention All-Conference Jim Reed G Honorable Mention All-Conference Larry Spadafore QB Honorable Mention All-Conference Bob Starford E Honorable Mention All-State Honorable Mention All-Conference Bob Willis HB Honorable Mention All-Conference Ronnie Lawson C Paul Louzy FB Ercel Mayle G Charles Mikels HB