Southside High School - Southerner Yearbook (Fort Smith, AR)

Page 82 text:

i E1 78 Cagers win 7 for 8 at start A big question mark loomed over the Southside Rebels as basketball season drew near. There was not an abundance of height and only one returning starter from last year's squad which finished 16-14. Senior Kent Brown Q6-OJ was back along with Jim Edwards Q5-111, senior, who saw considerable action coming off the bench last season. Coach Ronnie Bateman added senior Eddie Nally Q6-lj and two juniors Mark Alexander 16-23 and Joe Bob Wise Q6-33 to round out the starting five. The Rebels also featured a strong back-up crew with David Lafoon C6-11, Ronnie Byrd Q6-33, and Mike Frisby Q5-105, all seniors. Opening night rolled around and South- side faced AA Waldron, November 30. The Rebels ransacked the Bulldogs 77-51. The hot-shooting Rebels continued to roll along, knocking off Subiaco, Mansfield, and McAlester. No opponent had been able to come within 12 points of defeating the Rebels. Blytheville hit town December 14, and quickly brought the high-flying Rebels back to earth. The Chickasaws, defending AAA- East champions, used two free throws in the final seconds to nip Southside 58-56. The loss left Southside with a 4-1 record on the young season. Getting back on the winning path, the Rebels whizzed past the Subiaco Trojans and Waldron Bulldogs for the second time this season. Ozark gave the Rebels a scare, but Jim Edwards hit a lay-up at the buzzer to give Southside a 52-50 victory. The Rebels now stood 7-1 for the season, the best start of any Southside basketball squad. The holiday season brought with it two tournaments. About this time the roof began to fall in on the Rebels. Action began with the first annual Fort Smith Classic, December 27-28. The event, co-sponsored by Southside and Northside, was held in the Grizzly Fieldhouse. In the opening round the Rebels were surprised by the Rogers Mountaineers. Rogers outplayed Southside and won 64-61. In the consolation game, the Rebels defeated Russellville 73-57, for third place. Next the Rebels traveled to Russellville to open play in the 29th annual Arkansas Tech Tournament of Champions, January 3-8. Southside battered the Alma Airedales 78-41 in the first round of competition. As luck would have it the Rebels' next opponent was again the Russellville Cyclones. This time, however, things were different as Russellville won 44-42, eliminating South- fcontinued on page 815

Page 81 text:

I know we're gonna win, we just gotta make it this year. No, I don't think we can do it. Where's your faith? You just gotta believe .... The Rebs did attain sort of an un-victory October 22 in the annual clash with Northside which resulted in a 7-up score. Pre-game activities began a week early when Rebel team members returned from Texarkana and discovered that their cars had been egged. Bear paws led up to the au- ditorium and uncomplimentary remarks had been scrawled in red paint on the school and marquee. ln retaliation, red and blue paint was found at Northside and Rebs stickers mysteriously appeared on Northsiders' cars. The spirit of revenge continued as Southsiders mercilessly hung a huge teddy bear during the pep rally...police patrolled Gary and JROTC members guarded both parking lots with walkie-talkies...Grizzly fans sped by Southside singing Northside's fight song. Anticipation filled the air as lspectators entered Mayo- !Thompson Stadium. lThe capacity lcrowd anx- liously i session: Students crowded into the gym Htl for a pep rally to climax the pre-game thsideNorthside week activities. A 'high it' in the pep rally labovel left the Bears strung out. ' watched the game. Northside scored first, then Shelton Sar gent's 50-yard run to the endzone and Jim Edwards' extra point completed the game's scoring at 7-7. Until the final gun, the spectators sat on the edge of their seats, waiting for something to happen, but nothing did. Some were satisfied, some were disap- pointed, both sides thought they should have won and left saying, Wait till next year! vo.. ,ww Facelifts: 'Expressions' of concern emanate from Sarajane Phillips labovei and Karen Bettis and Theresa K orkarnes lbelowl during tense moments of the game, Avid fans lleftl cheer as Shelton Sargent runs for Southside's only touchda wn

Page 83 text:

v : are Y ' :w s ffm 7 1 E mah 1 EBESI HIGH! ' ..,.. g v -.. F4 Defense is the key and the Rebs show it against Northside faboue leftj with Nally f50j, Edwards f12j, Laffoon f301, ,f N'. X Va ' ,W-lffpz. My 1 V and Alexander 1542. In practice, senior Eddie Nally Iabovej works on defense against Kenny Johnson, while Coach Bate- man discusses strategy faboue rightj. 'fe -Ns. ,an--nw-5-, ? 4 Joe Bob Wise was a key factor in the Rebs' season. Early in the year fabovej, he is shown on the opening tip against the Chicks and a last-second shot against Conway fleftj. 79