Mauldin High School - Reflections Yearbook (Mauldin, SC)

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MHS: Power And Pride! Maverick Wrestlers finish season with honors At the start of the 1987 wrestling season, 40 boys, the most people to ever come out, showed up to begin practice. By the end of the season, however, only 18 people re- mained and those 18 people continued to train in hopes of a state championship. Coach Mike Frye said, I was real impressed when 40 guys showed up. I guess most of them just got tired or their parents changed their minds, but the ones that stayed worked hard because they wanted to win. I made the schedule pointing toward the state tournament. The Maverick's senior wrestlers also played an im- portant role in the team's suc- cess. I looked to my seniors for motivation and leadership - it always makes a big dif- ference, said Coach Frye. The team will lose all six of its starting seniors this year. Frye still expects to have a well-balanced team. He says most of the strength will re- main in the lower weight classes. Four freshmen started on the wrestling team. Freshman Jimmy Davis who wrestles in the 98-101 class said, It is great fun and competition. It teaches me to be a good com- petitor. I look forward to next Pinned to the mat! Maverick wrestler Rickey Click takes his opponent to the floor. Click was one of six senior wrestlers on the 1987 team. iPhoto by Mike Fryej Which way is up? Mauldin's Damien Burkemper pins his opponent quickly. His victory helped boost the Mavs to win over Greenville. iPhoto by Mike Fryey 154 Wwmwg year. This year, the Maverick wrestlers won the county match for the seventh time in ten years and won the region for the first time since 1983. These two wins qualifed the team for upper state. The Mavericks compiled a 13-6 dual meet record for the season, a record Frye called disappointing. Our guys worked hard all year long, said Coach Frye. It looks promising for next year too. We've got some really talent- ed kids. Alicia Brown

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here's A Whole Lot Of Shakin' Goin, n! The buzzer sounded signaling the time out. The clock had run down to its final two seconds. The game was tied. Calmly, he stepped to the foul line. All he had to do was sink it. As the noise of the crowd died, a quiet hush settled over the entire gym. All eyes were focused on him. I've gotta do it, he thought. Lowering his eyes, he bounced the ball. Once. Twice. The sound of the ball hitting the floor echoed through the gym. Then, slowly looking up, the ball left his hands. He stood and watched for what seemed an eternity as the ball sailed through the air to- wards the basket. Pressure situations are encountered in any sport, and Mauldin athletes were no exception. The pressures, the tense moments and the do-or-die situ- ations conditioned student athletes not only physically, but also mental- ly. Maverick athletes had to be ready to perform and being ready meant hours of preparation before hand. The boys' soccer team along with the varsity baseball team prepared for upcoming games by huddling the team and saying the Lord's Prayer. Jimmy Piller, pitcher for the Mav- ericks said, I don't get nervous, I get anxious - I just want to play well. Members of the cross country and track teams found the best way to be sharp for their meets was to be alone. A lot of people go off by them- selves and clear their minds, said Nancy Cason, State Cross Country Champion. It helps calm them before they run. The varsity girls' basketball team also had a quiet time. We go into the team room and sit and think about 156 I-'ealim what we've gotta go out and do, said forward Mary jones. - Unlike teams that sat quietly before their games, some Mauldin teams practiced right up until game time. The softball team took batting and fielding practice and ran sprints up until time for the team cheer. Tabetha Stephens, pitcher for the Lady Mavs said, We always huddle and yell TEAMWORK before we hit the field, it's our team motto. The football team also practiced be- fore their games. They did warm-up drills to prepare physically, then re- tired to the team room for a team talk to psyche them mentally. Through quiet times, gentle re- minders and hard work, coaches trained their athletes to deal with their pre-game jitters. David Sutton, senior tennis player said, I don't feel pressure most of the time, pressure is only when you doubt your own ability. Alicia Brown and Diana Thompson The Thrill of Victory . . . No matter what the sport, Maverick Coaches strived to make play- ers realize that winning was more than just a feeling. iPhoto by Todd Harshbargerj