Mater Dei High School - Hi Lights Yearbook (Evansville, IN)

Page 24 text:

v S h 20 Or O Webster ' s dictionary defines hysteria as any outbreak of wild, uncontrolled feeling. During football homecoming week, everyone at Mater Dei was affected with this spirit . . . Red and gold pride ran rampant through the hundreds of Wildcat fans who cheered their team on to a 24-14 victory over the Bosse Bulldogs. Not only were the ususal staunch supporters present, but also faithful alumni who got caught up in the traditional Homecom- ing Hysteria on that clear October night. At halftime, all the colors on the rainbow filled the sky as over 200 helium balloons were released when Clare Becker was crowned Miss School Spirit. Above the festivities and fanfare, the press box was also a flurry of activity. All around me were other reporters, as well as radio announcers, and scouts from other schools. With all of this buzz, the cheers of the Wildcat fans below me were barely audible. You better say some Hail Mary ' s with a bunch of officials like that, smiled Bob Ashworth as the game ' s referees were announced. Ashworth, Reitz ' s notorious football coach, sat to my right. His team had beaten us the week be- fore, and I knew that sitting next to him during our Homecoming game would prove to be interesting. Turning my attention away from Ashworth, I took in a panoramic view of the activity below me. The cheerleaders were frantically leading cheers to a crowd ravenous for victory. The players on the sideline were nervously pacing up and down, shouting encouragement to those on the field. Mater Dei com- pleted its first screen pass for a first down. Admist the frenzy of the Wildcat crowd, Ashworth leaned back in his chair, chuckling. That ' s the one they tried THE CENTER OF ATTENTION: Just moments after being crowned Miss School Spirit, Clare Becker accepts friends ' congratulations. The newly elected queen wore crutches, due to a broken foot sustained during volleyball practice a week earlier. (Photo by Geoff Coates) against us last week, but they didn ' t get it! The Bosse coach to the left slammed his fist down on the table, muttered, and nervously chewed his gum. At halftime, MD led 1 7-14. The gridders lumbered off to the locker room, and the Wildcat Marching Band members took their places on the field, each with a helium balloon tied to his instrument. For the first time in recent years, the nine members of the homecoming court rode out onto the track in convertibles, making the festivities seem like a parade. After a moment of nervous anticipa- tion, Clare Becker was announced as the 1981 Homecoming Queen. The week-old cast on her right foot could just barely be seen beneath her full-length skirt as she limped gracefully to receive her crown. Cheers and balloons filled the air as Mayor of Mater Dei-ville Brock Nicholson gave her the traditional homecoming kiss . . . twice!! Later Becker explained, I thought the crown was on right the first time, but the next thing I knew it was laying on the ground behind me and we were going P through the whole thing again! After the excitement of the home- coming ceremony, the rest of the game was anti-climatic. The Wild- cat defense held Bosse scoreless in the second half; the freshman cheerleaders wrapped up their whoopie cushion sales; the greenies were probably getting nervous about going to their first homecoming dance. In the press box, Ashworth made fewer wise- cracks and more scouting notes; the Bosse coach grew increasingly up- set with his team; I still felt out of place up there. I thought the crown was on right the first time, but the next thing I knew it was laying on the ground be- hind me and we were going through the whole thing again! — Clare Becker As the final seconds of the fourth quarter ticked away into posterity, the two teams met in the center of the field, shaking hands. The scouts and coaches around me gathered up their papers and departed, leav- ing me alone to look down upon the near empty bleachers. As the final strains of the school song echoed throughout the bowl, I looked up and saw one single red balloon floating up into the clear night sky . . . one last tribute to a glorious night. — Mary Ellert

Page 23 text:

SIDE SHOW: Keeping close tabs on field action, Vince Boots (top) and Joe Bassemier (bottom) re-energize during the Bosse Homecoming game. (Photo by Geoff Coates) INDIVIDUAL HONORS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER BEST OFFENSIVE LINESMAN BEST DEFENSIVE LINESMAN MOST TACKLES MENTAL ATTITUDE BEST RECEIVER BEST OFFENSIVE BACK BEST DEFENSIVE BACK S.I.A.C ALL CONFERENCE TEAM COURIER ALL-CITY TEAM Brian Weinzapfel Chris Sitzman Keith Rooney Pat Kempf Craig Titzer Dennis Murphy Joe Bassemier Ron Maurer John Dewig Gary Weinzapfel Bill Blaxton Joe Bassemier Pat Kempf Keith Rooney Brian Weinzapfel Joe Bassemier Bill Blaxton Pat Kempf Dennis Murphy Keith Rooney Craig Titzer Brian Weinzapfel PRESS ALL-CITY TEAM SUNDAY COURIER AND PRESS TEAM: Offense: Pat Kempf Keith Rooney Brian Weinzapfel U.P.I. ALL-STATE FIRST TEAM A.P. ALL-STATE THIRD TEAM ALL-STATE HONORABLE MENTION Joe Bassemier Pat Kempf Keith Rooney Brian Weinzapfel Pat Kempf Keith Rooney Brian Weinzapfel John Dewig Bob Culver Chris Sitzman Gary Weinzapfel Rich Niemeier Craig Titzer Joe Bassemier Dennis Murphy Bill Blaxton Ron Maurer Joe Bassemier Joe Bassemier Brian Weinzapfel 19 THE GREEN MACHINE: First row; Jeff Gries, Mark Schaefer, Steve Hassler, Rob Maurer, Dennis Wan- nemeuhler, Dave Wolf, Dennis Straub, King Nguyen. Second row: Brian Will, Ben Kempf, Steve Ricketts, Chris Pugh, Jim Little, Dan Koressel, Chris Goebel, Eric Moss, Eric Kohut. Third row: Mike Schaefer, Keith Reising, Scott Muehler, Jeff Batts. Alan Schaffstein, Jeff Herrmann. Top row: Bob De- zember, Mike Lagenour, Bob Martin, Greg Wein- zapfel, Darren Knight, Rich Bender. (Photo by Alan Burdette)

Page 25 text:

FOOTBALL HOMECOMING COURT: FRONT ROW Mayor Brock Nicholson. SENIOR CANDIDATES: Felicia Smith and escort Stan Weinazpfel. Queen Clare Becker and escort Mike Hickam, and Laura Gerber and escort Chris Fulkerson. SECOND ROW: FRESHMEN CANDIDATES: Lisa Adler and escort Steve Ricketts, and Kelly Seib and escort Kris Glas- er. JUNIOR CANDIDATES: Krista Elpers and escort Mark Muensterman. and Debra Elpers and escort Jon Raben BACK ROW: SOPHOMORE CANDI- DATES: Denise Purcell and escort J.D. Fleck, and Beth Becker and escort Nick Braun. (Photo cour- tesy of Bruce Wheeler) 21 CROWNING CLARE: Mayor of Mater Dei-ville Brock Nicholson carefully crowns the newly- elected Miss School Spirit, Clare Becker. The festivities took place at half time during the Bosse game. (Photo by Geoff Coates)