Rock Hill High School - Bearcat Yearbook (Rock Hill, SC)

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VARSITY FOOTBALL Row 1: Tony Brown, Wanky Moore, James Howze, Mark Watkins, Robbie Boone, Charles McGriff, Daren Ashley, Juan Agers, John Massey, Jack Williams, James Miller, Scott Childers, Jonathan Erby, Phillip Stroud. Row 2: Mike Jennings, Daryl Watkins, Lawrence Brown, Rick Peeler, Paul Hernandez, Kelly Allen, Jason Murphy, Sam Hope, Donald Kent, Richard Ellis, Jeff Brown, Tim Davis, Kenny Skaggs, Wayne Richardson, Todd Wicker. Row 3: Greg Osborne, Ray Carpenter, Howard Mitchell, Angelo Douglas, Bobby Woods, Tim Boozer, Danny Wherry, Lindsey Ingram, Derrick Leak, Kenny Steele, Tommy Baker. The 1981 Bearcat Football Season was one of hard work and excitement. The excitement came on the playing field be- fore over six thousand people each week while the hard work happened every day of the week from January to November. The blood, the sweat, and the tears that were shed during these ten months of hard work, though, paid off on Friday nights at eight o'clock when the Bearcat Varsity football team took the field. The excitement and support that is unique to a football game was not lost when the 'Cats took the field as our fans loudly voiced their support. The 1981 Season began September 4 as the 'Cats journeyed to Charlotte, North Carolina, to play the Myers Park Mustangs. The offense was played with the first-game jitters, committing over ten fumbles. However, the defense controlled the game enabling the 'Cats to open the season with a victory. The second week of the season pitted the Bearcats at home against Chester High School. The spotlight was to shine on the offense this night with the Bearcats winning 63-0 as every offensive back reached the endzone to score. Next the 'Cats visited Easley High School which proved to be the first real challenge for the '81 Cats. A 7-6 victory for the 'Cats ran the record to three wins and zero losses and a fifth-place ranking in the State. The fifth-place Bearcats visited the State's third-ranked team, Gaffney, for the fourth game ofthe season. Coach J. M. Wallace 's Bearcats fell to the Indians of Gaffney High. Returning home the next week, Rock Hill met Spartanburg in a tough battle, but came short. The sixth week was dubbed Homecoming for the Bearcats. Amid the fabulous festivities, the Bearcats dropped another loss bringing the overall record to three wins and three losses. Mike Wherryg '95, tries his hand at cheerleading. 172

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O When the 'Cats Come Marching in . . . The Bearcats traveled to Boiling Springs, South Caroli- na, for the seventh week of play. Homecoming was in the air at Boiling Springs High School, and the Bearcats spoiled the festivities by overcoming the Bulldogs to add another win to the Bearcat record. The next week, the Bearcats were on the road again to Wade Hampton High School in Greenville. Homecoming was again the theme. The Generals realized the meaning of Home- coming to salvage a victory over the Bearcats. The ninth week of the season saw the Bearcats at home against the Lancaster High School Bruins The Bearcats added a win to their record defeating the Bruins in a grudge match. In the tenth and final week of regular season play, the Bearcats lost a heartbreaker to cross-town rival North- western. As always, both teams played with unparalled effort and emotion, but the Bearcats did not have Lady Luck in their cheering section. After the Northwestern game, the Bearcats progressed into the Big Sixteen playoffs. The Big Sixteen was a division of the sixteen largest high schools in South Caro- lina according to student enrollment. These sixteen teams participated in the Big Sixteen play-offs to de- termine a State Champion. The Bearcats traveled to Greenwood for the first round. This game would be the last for the 1981 Bearcat Varsity Football Team as they lost to Greenwood High School. The 1981 Bearcats finished the season with a record of 5 wins and 5 losses. During the season, the members of the team learned many lessons of life through the devot- ed efforts of the coaching staff. However, the coaching staff was the target of criticism of people who knew noth- ing of football. Obviously a coach must have a special type of personality to withstand this unknowledgeable criticism. A coach is in a very difficult position, one which the average person would not be able to handle. Fortunately, the 1981 Bearcats were blessed with a coaching staff that was the best in South Carolina. Most teams overlook the love of their coaches and their devo- tion. In light of this, the 1981 Bearcats would like to thank their coaching staff for all their work. The 1981 staff consisted of: J. M. Wallace, Head Coach Jim Barnes, Defensive Backfield Coach Ron Green, Defensive Ends, Linebackers Coach Bobby Nies, Defensive Line Coach Tom Weaver, Offensive Backfield Coach Y. C. Winborn, Wide-Receiver Coach and Butch Windell, Offensive Line Coach RHHS vs. Lancaster. 173