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The Goderich Signal-Star, 1978-11-23, Page 13Sailors BY DAVE SYKES The Godert h Sailors improved thei league record. on the eekend winning two A Intermediate C league games. The Sailors avenged an earlier loss to Wingham with a'6-3 victory over the Royals Friday and added to their list of wins with a tough' 6=5 victory over Milverton, Sunday. The weekend victories GODERICH_SIGNAL-STAR, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 33,1978--,PACIE'1:3. Four receive f o.tbafl awards The presentation of awards was the highlight of the GDCI Vikings football banquet held in the school's cafeteria last Thursday evening. Receiving the, most valuable player awards were Dave MacKenzie of the senior Vikings and Larry Madge of the junior Vikings. The best lineman awardi5„went to a brother combination, Jim Van Osch of the senior Vikings, and Ed Van Osch of the juniors. Presentation of the awards was made by , durnpRoyals 6 3 to even the score boosted the Sailors season record to five wins against only one loss. The Sailors scored three unanswered goals in the third period Friday as they broke a 3-3 tie and downed the Wingham Royals 6-3. The teams exchanged single goals in the first period as Paul Kelly opened the games scoring converting a pass from linemates Dan Duncan and Murray Henderson but Wingham evened the count with a goal by Gary Lisle. • Each team scored two goals apiece in the second period and after Wingham took a one goal lead early in the period Goderich responded with two straight goals • by Scott Park and Greg Jervis. Brad Kloss scored both Wingham second period goals. The third period belonged to the Sailors as they scored three goals in the opening ten minutes and coasted to the win. Mel Horner, Rick Fremlin and Murray Henderson scored third period goals for Goderich. The Sailors added their.. second victory of the weekend as they built up a 6-1 lead against Milverton and held on for the win despite a third period flurry that produced four Milverton goals in a period of 12 minutes. The Sailors took charge of the game in the first period as they scored two goals within a minute span to carry a 2-0 lead into the second period. Rick Fremlin and Graham Hamilton scored Rick Fremlin of the Goderich Sailors picked up a goalmouth pass from team-mate Mel Horner to score the fifth Sailor goal Friday as they defeated Wingham Royals 6-3 in Intermediate C action. Vikings BY DAVE SYKES Playing football at GDCI is a proud and winning tradition. A tradition that has produced countless championships over the last 15 years and more precisely, eight senior football crowns in the past 10 years. Being a Viking, a member of the Blue and White, is important because of that tradition. But football wasn't always the prestigious sport at GDCI that is now a trademark of the school, The football program was painstakingly built over a period of years under the guidance and direction of Wayne Horner and Ray Donnelly. There are basically two eras in the football program at GDCI. That which Horner built and that which Donnelly maintained and improved upon. The football program was severely lacking before Horner took over and turned it around. He had played football himself and he was gruff but he was able to draw on the players' desires and make them play to their full potential. Simply, he was respected as a football coach. Horner made something of football at GDCI and took his senior teams to several playoff berths and, championships. And as he continued to improve the program it became evident that being,a Viking was a big deal. Jon Ginn played high school football under Horner in the late 1960s and explained that his former coach had a way of preparing teams to, play football. "Horner was respected as a coach and he had — a way with the guys that could get us up to play football," he explained. "He knew what he was talking about and could teach the guys how to The Sailors also defeated Milverton 6-5, Sunday to boost their season record to five wins against one loss. Their next home game is Friday December 1. (photo by Jeff Seddon) first period goals for Goderich. Milverton finally beat Goderich goal tender Dennis Fleshauer for a goal early in the second period but Goderich responded with goals, from Paul Rau and Grant Shelton to hold, a 4-1 margin heading into the final 20 minutes. Murray Henderson increased the Goderich lead to four goals with a goal a minute and a half into the period before Milverton took control of the game. They scored four goals in 12 minutes in the final period but a goal by Grant Shelton, his second of the game, proved to be the winner as the Sailors hung on for their fifth win. Milverton enjoyed three powerplay op- portunities'"in the final period as the Sailors were tagged with four penalties over the final 20 minutes and nine overall. The Sailors do not return to action until December 1 " when they will host I#arriston in an 8.30 contest senior coaches Ray DonneJiy • and.. Georgge Young and junior coaches Bill Darrow ''and Bruce Baker. Both the junior and senior Vikings recently completed undefeated seasons in the Huron - Perth Conference by winning the conference championships. The senior Vikings defeated Stratford Central 62-0 in their final while the junior Vikings got by Exeter South Huron 21-8 to capture thelunior crown. Paul Thomas of the Goderich Garb and Gear Gee Gees corrals a rebound in a weekend basketball game against Walkerton in Goderich. Goderich took the home and home series with Walkerton and added a third victory in the week to improve their season record to five wins againse one loss in the Lakeshore Intermediate Mens Basketball League. (photo by Jeff Seddon) Gee Gees win three league games Goderich Garb and Gear Gee Gees picked up three• wins last week to take over second place in the Lakeshore intermediate Basketball League. Last Thursday they defeated Port Elgin by a score of 78-72 and then proceeded to take back to back victories over Walkerton by scores of 113-36 and 61-52. - The most important and impressive of the games was the one involving Port Elgin. The Gee Gees travelled north minus several key players and found themselves trailing through most of the contest. With three minutes to play, Goderich took over the lead for the win. Warren Watt led the scoring with 20 points, followed by Brian Mackenzie with .13. Al Sygrove, Jeff Baechler and Greg Beacom each netted 12 points and Paul Thomas added 10. Bob Riehl played a key defensive role in the game. Gee Gees next action is against the first place Owen Sound entry on Friday, November 24. Game time is 8:00 p.m. in the GDCI gym. proud and winning tradition play the game: It was a big deal to play football for Horner." And the story hasn't changed much. Donnelly has been coaching for 12 years and has been assisted, by George Young for three out of the past four years. Young stepped out of the scene last year and his duties were assumed by Al Drennan. When asked how a high school can con- sistently produce a top calibre football team, Donnelly laughed and said: "I knew you were going to ask me that." It seemed to be an obvious question and Huron -Perth conference football coaches probably lie awake nights asking themselves the same question while looking on Donnelly's record with envy and utter contempt. But he offers a simple explanation. " "There are many years of tradition here on what the athletes display. They want to be mentally and physically tough players," he said. "There is a great deal of pride in being a Viking, a member of the Blue and White." That pride is not only manifested in an in- comparable heap of championships but this year spurred the seniors to an unrivaled record. They scored an unprecedented 474 points in league and playoff games while the defence stingily held the opposition scoreless. Out of the last ten years two teams were beaten by the usually tough Exeter Panthers. In 1975 Goderich Iost to Exeter in the semi-final and in 1976 Exeter defeated Goderich in the conference final. The fact is, even when the Vikings lost they produced a tough, contending team. Despite the accomplishments of this year's team, Donnelly is hesitant to compare teams, "It's hard to compare teams unless you have a full measure of their opponents," he ex- plained. "It's difficult to say 'whether the league deteriorated this year or we were ac- tually that good. Regardless, this year's team did some things'extremely well." That's impossible to dispute in consideration of their performance and record. And their accomplishments weren't envied and confined to their own conference. The' officials who handled the conference games this year also officiate ball in 'the Kitchener, Guelph and Cambridge area, and they are convinced that Goderich could beat any of the top teams from that area. They were more than mildly impressed with the calibre of football produced here and would have gladly donated their officiating pay for one game if Goderich played the top team from the Kitchener area. Donnelly said the officials' comments were most favorable but that he nor his players had anything to prove. "The officials have talked about -our team playing elsewhere but really we have nothing to prove," he said. "The players know what they've done to get where they are now." But thih year was perhaps unlike any, others. It became blatantly obvious through the season that the major task facing the coaching staff was keeping the players mentally prepared for the games. They possessed the' talent and execution to dispose of any team at will, but their mental attitude and desire had to be sharp. • "This year, near the end of the season, the players had no reason to drive themselves to perfect or improve their execution," he said. "But in the semi-final game against Exeter (which Goderich won 66-0) they played a well executed ball game and then turn around five days later and execute even better in the final." Young reiterated Donnelly's sentiments adding that the players had to set their own personal goals and. then proceeded to go after them, as if they were the underdog with nothing to lose. "Pride was a motivating force on this team and it makes our job much easier," Young commented. "We can teach the. players the skills but the spirit and pride is equipment they Donnelly and Young have to bring to the games." . Yet in a school and a town where winning is now 'a tradition it is inconceivable that future teams can duplicate or improve upon the ac- complishment of the 78 Vikings. Realistically, the situation must be put in its proper per- spective but Donnelly claims there is pressure to excel at football and that pressure could be insurmountable for next year's team. "I think the town expects the Vikings to win and if they don't then something is wrong," he said. "There is some concern on my part that some jieople measure the success of the football program by wins and.losses. "Some teams are going to be failures com- pared to this year and even if the team wins next year but gets scored upon right away they will be labelled as a poorer team," he added. He wanted to make a major point and did so emphatically in stating that a team's success cannot be measured by a quick scan at the won - lost column. For Donnelly and Young their football program goes far beyond teaching blocking, a three point stance or a trap block. "Any of the future Viking teams could lose but the members of that team aren't losers if they have given the best of their mental and physical capabilities," he said. "Our major goal, out of all the hours we spend on football, goes far above learning how to play football better than anyone else." Young suggested» that the players have a sense of purpose and great desire to produce as a unit, a team. He added that the players are willing to sacrifice the time, and dedicate themselves for something that is worthwhile and will produce a goal. The junior football program also enjoyed a phenomenal year under the capable coaching staff of Bill Garrow and Bruce Baker. They guided the junior squad to an un- defeated season, capped by a tough 21-9 championship win over Exeter in the con- ference final. It was the second championship for the juniors in the last five years, and last year they Were denied the title in the sixth overtime period. Gamow has directed the junior team for the past five years and prior to that coached at the same level in St. Catharines. Baker has been his assistant for the past three years. Garrow and Baker have a distinctively dif- ferent task than their senior counterparts in that at the junior level the boys have not played organized football and in many cases have not partidipated in a team sport. Donnelly organizes the junior and senior football programs, practices and conditioning programs. The juniors operate under the same system as the senior team although their playbook is less sophisticated. Garrow and Baker must stress the basic fundamentals and team play in preparation for the season. "We get about ten kids who have never ex- perienced team play before they come out for football," Garrow said. "Our teaching is basically fundamental but the important thing is to stress team play." The junior coaches recruit eligible graduating students in the elementary system in June, visiting schools and explaining what the football program is about. Baker claimed' that because of the winning tradition at GDCI the boys are not only knowledgeable about football but more than willing to play. In fact as many as 55 have turned out for a position on the junior team. ,•One of the toughest aspects of coaching junior ball is maintaining spirit through the three weeks of pre season drills. The three weeks of practicing before the seas, iener is nothing more than hard drills. Bak _.lid that players without a keen ,competitive spirit who are willing to sacrifice hours of practice in an- ticipation of playing their first game, often give up before the season starts. Garrow insisted that much of the success of the football program here is due largely to the rapport between the two football teams. "The teams actually operate under the same program and even do their drills together," he said. "If the juniors have trouble executing a play the seniors show them how to run it and that co-operation helps them a great deal." Again, a large part of the junior success is attributed to the fact that the boys want to be a Viking. Garrow said that by the time the boys have played two years of junior learning the fundamentals of the game they want to play senior ball. "It's part of what keeps them in junior," he said. Baker assessed their junior coaching role in more personified terms: "We give Ray the hardware and he polishes it." Garrow and Baker also view their work with the junior team as going far beyond a lesson in football fundamentals. It is teaching an in- dividual to reach his potential and to blend that spirit into a team framework. Both coaches agreed that they look on their hours of work with the football team as their contribution to values education. Coaching is not unlike playing the game, it takes dedication and personal sacrifice in consideration of the many hours spent away from families. But all members of the coaching staff agreed that the sacrifice lent itself to rewards, and winning was only a part of it. Football has come a long way at GDCI and with the success of the program this year, one has to ask, where can it go from here? However, considering the capable coaching staff at the school and the pride and tradition that has lifted Vikings to lofty goals in the past anything is possible. "And besides," Donnelly stated with a sheepish grin on his face, "a good part of my backfield is returning next year." • Bill Garrow