Pittsburg High School - Purple and White Yearbook (Pittsburg, KS)

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ill Head Coach Larry Garman and quarterback Don Free discuss offensive plans for the Dragons in a win- ning effort against the Independence Bulldogs. l2l You can't play a game without clean towels! Rick Hurst, on game day, supplies the team. t3l The only game we were assured of winning: the scrimmage! And the purple triumphed. C43 Coach Jameson is full of congratulatory remarks to Greg Garman and Tim Thomas as the end of the Ft. Scott game nears, while Coaches Garman and Watson concentrate on the remaining seconds of the contest. l5l Summer practices in t-shirts and shorts were hot! And the watermelon feed marked the beginning of practice in pads. Watermelon usually tastes good, but when it announces practice in pads? t6l Pride, Desire, Guts, Ability: as Don Free contemplates the up- coming game, those words haunt him. Painted on the doors, as a reminder of what is contained within the locker room, many PHS students and fans also experienced those feelings every Friday night of the season. 'N

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Football '73 - Enthusiasm Great After 8 Wins ' PITTSBURG 21, INDEPENDENCE O Offensive backs Rudy Polchlopek, Dennis Sumpter and Don Free each tallied a touchdown and John Oldham added three extra points in the season opener, September 7 on Hutchinson field. Independence, favored over the home- town Dragons, could get nothing going on a swampy, Friday night field. PITTSBURG 9, CHANUTE 7 Predicted a favorites to win the SEKL title, the Chanute Comets fell prey to the fired up Dragons. John Oldham booted a field goal prior to the end of the first half, and the Dragons marched 60 yards in 13 plays after the second half kick-off for 6 points by Don Free. Safety Steve Smith made a game saving catch and thwarted a Comet drive on the Dragons five yard line late in the contest. PITTSBURG 67, ALTAMONT O With touchdown runs totaling 246 yards, the Dragons scored ten times at Altamont in the first away game of the '73 season. Touchdowns were: Dennis Sumpter, Jeff Goble and Rudy Polchlopek-2 apiece, and Rick Hurst, E.G. Amoneno, Greg Garman and Robert Scott each hit paydirt once. John Oldham had seven successful point-after attempts. PITTSBURG 23, IOLA O On a slippery Hutchinson Field, the Dragons rode the passing arm of QB Don Free to their fourth consecutive conference win. Free completed 6 of 7 passes and scored once, while Jeff Goble added two more tallies. John Old- ham compiled two extra points and a field goal. PITTSBURG 13, FT. SCOTT 7 Dennis Sum pter scored twice on one yard plunges set up by long runs by Rudy Polchlopek and John Oldham split the uprights for one point in a homecoming spoiler at Ft. Scott. Monster Nlan Greg Garman stopped a fourth quarter Tiger drive with a fumble recovery and Steve Smith came through with another game-saving interception. PITTSBURG 14, PARSONS 0 John Oldham and Carl Flora came through with im- portant fumble recoveries on a slippery Parsons field. Rudy Polchlopek scored in the first quarter and Fred Ken- non caught a pass for 6 points in the fourth quarter. John Oldham booted the extra points. PITTSBURG 47, COFFEYVILLE 20 After a fumbled kick-off by the Dragons and an inter- ception by Steve Smith, Jeff Goble breezed 83 yards for his first of three touchdowns on homecoming night. Rudy Polchlopek, Don Free, Fred Kennon and Dennis Sumpter each added a tally, and John Oldham booted five extra points. At halftime, Captain Carl Flora crowned 1973 Football Queen, Miss Kim Clugston. PITTSBURG 21, SPRINGFIELD CENTRAL 6 In their only out-of-conference game of the regular season, the Dragons scored their 8th victory of an 8-1 season. The game, delayed 30 minutes because of rain, did not turn out to be the contest it had been predicted as. Jeff Goble and Rudy Polchlopek scored 1 and 2 touch- downs respectively for the Dragons, with John Oldham booting 3 extra points. its NMR laser saws Q 'ia P'

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Early Wins Set Dragons On 'ww ,vs f. ,wt,.f,t., .ef ,,.u.s. , ue V ..-J'e Q lll Carl Flora, defensive captain, checks strategy with Coach Jameson. Carl was leading tackler,for the Dra- gons and on ALL-SEK first team. 123 Captain Don Free shows tension as he meets C73 the Fort Scott captains prior to the game, C33 The scoreboard tells the tale at Fort Scott. Ml Halfback Rudy Polchlopek is ridden to the ground by two Parson's defenders, C57 Rudy Polchlopek and Curt Medlin lead the way onto the field at home- coming battle with Coffeyville. f6J John Oldham, a three year kicker, holds many SEKL records, C73 Quarter- back Don Free sprints around end onxthe option play. Jeff Goble trails Don, ready for the pitch. f8l Rudy Polchlopek gets off a clutch kick in the mud against Independence, 197 Captains Don Free and Rick Hurst call toss as Coffey- ville gets ready for a losing effort against the mighty Dragons. C105 The 1973 SEKL Champs!