Sprayberry High School - Echo Yearbook (Marietta, GA)

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lv-Q D x 5 ,E 1 WBC STQNERZ CHHHIPIOIII The 1980-81 Varsliy Yellow Jacket - Y Wrestling squad from left, first row, Bob 1 ?'f ' Ifvyv Almand, Brent Betteridge, Ritchie Flappa, ' ' , ' ' ' David Wagner, Greg Powell, second row: Chris Powell, Greg Fernandez, Earl Hampton, Billy Hulsey, Mike Peace, John Mercure, third row: man. Flene Viney, and Djuana Whittemore. 63

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I' . 1--e. , . . 1 e C - 3 . . . AND AGAIN Continued from page 60 Nineteen Eighty-one was the sixth year in a row that Sprayberry has participated in the state championships. The Varsity squad was also defending the number one position from tough competi- tors Iike McEachern, Dunwoody, and Berkmar. Although the squad placed sixth in the state, it still gained a good deal of experience for its college-bound seniors. The Varsity wrestling team at Sprayberry still has many strong years ahead. Right: A COLLEGE PROSPECT and one of this year's top wrestlers, Chris Powell helped defeat Walton High School with a 12-0 victory in his match. This was Chris' most outstanding dual. He also won two matches by falls. Far middle lop: MANY OF THIS YEAR'S J.V. SQUAD had an opportunity to compete in Varsity competition. Among these was Ron Jeske. Ron held a 3-3 record and finished fourth in the North Metro Tournament. Far top: RETURNING THIS YEAR AS A STATE CHAMP, David Wagner served another year on the number one wrestling squad. David spent a season winning the top positions in all tournaments except stateg he placed second. David experienced his only defeat at the hands of McEachern when he dropped down a weight class in one day. Far middle: BILLY HULSEY HAD AN UNDEFEATED SEASON as he won lour matches by falls and properly ground his Campbell opponent into the mats with a 22-3 triumph. Far below right: JUNIOR EARL HAMPTON spent his first year on the Varsity squad. Coach Frank Keller described him as a top wrestler who really came on strong, ln the region and state tournaments, Earl took second and fourth respectively. Below right: PAT MEDVED TOPPED TWO OPPON- ENTS in lalls. He also won first in the Cobb County Tournament and second in the region. He was another winner against Rockdale County with an 8-3 victory, 62 ,tief-244, 4..'i'..-... J 'Hi-wx, ' L JY .J

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JUNICR JACKETS Having a victorious undefeated sea- son was the Junior Varsity squad. They knew what it took to wrestle tough competition. Some of the schools who could not compete with Sprayberry's Varsity squad dropped down to take on the J.V. squad. The junior Jackets won their filth Cobb County Championship under Coach Tucker's dedicated guidance. Some of the individual winners were Mitch Boling, Alan Kollar, and John Bagwell, all placing first, Kirk Batroff placing second and Wes Kitchens placing third. The J.V. squad doubled the scores of all other Cobb County schools in the tournament. The junior grapplers went into the North Metro Tournament with the pride that every Sprayberry wrestler has. They pinned all competition to the mats until they met Berkmar High School. The struggle was long and disappointing. Sprayberry's J.V. came in a close second in the contest, with Scott Taylor placing third. However, Coach Tucker commented, Berkmar, the team that beat us in the North Metro Tournament, came back to 'wrassle' us the next week and we beat them by twenty points. Some of the highlights of the season included downing Rockdale 66-99 pinning Jonesboro 43-24, and stomping Campbell 60-10. Because of a well balanced J.V. squad, some moved up to compete on a Varsity level, and many freshmen got a chance to gain Junior Varsity experience. Said Coach Whitey Tucker, We always try to get our freshmen exhibition wrestlers a match before the duals . . . They wrestle for the experience and sometimes they get into the J.V. lineup. The Cobb County Freshmen Wres- tling Tournament held in January found Bob Almand, Billy Walker, and Rob Cowan capturing first place and Frankie Edwards taking second place. This year's Junior Varsity and fresh- man exhibition teams will feed into the future Varsity squads a unique mixture of skill, talent, and determination that will keep Sprayberry a dominating force in Cobb County and Georgia wrestling. Above: THE 1980-81 JUNIOR VARSITY SQUAD First rowi Glenn Williams, Eric Lemon, Jeff Hewgley. Dan Kile, Rob Hookerg second row: Damian Hebert, Alan Kollar. Ron Jeske, Chris Hulsey, Don Williams, Joel Fludap third row: Mike Brooks, Glenn Grumbien, Kirk Batroff, Wes Kitchens and Darren Dunbar, Right: BECAUSE OF THE MANY JUNIOR VARSITY PLAYERS who moved up to Varsity, many freshmen wrestlers were allowed to take on Junior Varsity competition. Some who did not wrestle on the J.V, squad participated on the freshman exhibition team to gaIn the experience needed for Varsity competition N80 .Qtr W 'Z .,, iii-J..-1 E If ' ' fi ' lv. I y A jgyrvf 44 ' 9 ij-Y ,,.. -gg,-'A I, 'Vffi r 575 I Hi, ' '5' . D YV