30 Years Ago

Thursday, December 13, 1990

Matmen place eighth in season opener

The Broadus Hawk Wrestling Team placed eighth, mid-way among the 16 teams competing at the season opener at Forsyth last Friday and Saturday.

Head coach for the second year is former Hawk Divisional Champion Bill Alderman. He is assisted by Rick Gatlin, former Broadus Hawk State Champion wrestler.

Fifteen young men are out for the program this year, Alderman said, five more than last year.

“We still have a pretty young bunch – a lot of freshman and sophomores,” said Alderman. “The program is coming around. We’ve got a fairly young squad this year, but anytime you can start from scratch, more or less like we did last year, it’s four or five years before you really get competitive.”

On the Varsity Hawk Team this year are: Shawn McCutchan, 119 lb. sophomore; Eleno Vallejo, 125 lb. freshman; Cole Smith, 130 lb. senior; Chad Gatlin, 135 lb. sophomore; Greg Gnerer, 140 lb. sophomore; Shane Copps, 145 lb. junior; Pat Ruland, 152 lb. sophomore; Scott Rhodes, 160 lb. junior; Ray Williams, 171 lb. senior and Todd Sanburn, 189 lb. junior. Buddy Hoffman and Tom Schmid are both vying for the heavyweight position on the varsity team. Junior Varsity members are Jeff Considine, 125 lb. freshman and Eric Bart and Evan Traub, 152 pound freshman, along with the loser of the heavyweight wrestle-offs.

Rhodes and Williams paced the young men at Forsyth, where both won fifth place in their weight divisions. Rhodes finished with a three and two record, while Williams won two and lost two. Smith and Copps both finished sixth, with identical two and two records.

Other individual results at the meet were: McCutchan, one and two; Vallejo, zero and two; Gatlin, one and two; Ruland, one and two, and Sanburn, zero and two.

Only the ten boys attended the tourney, Alderman said.

Following a trip to Sundance for a dual meet during the week, Saturday the team will travel to Huntley Project for a dual-meet tourney. The local team will dual with four or five other area teams throughout the day, Alderman said. The boys then have the rest of the year off, and will resume action at the annual Powder River Invitational, the first weekend in January.

Vernon wins local V.F.W. V.O.D. contest

Broadus high school student Anna Vernon has won the local Voice of Democracy Speech Contest, sponsored by the Charles H. James VFW Post 1595.

Stephanie Best placed second in the contest and Laurie McGill won third. Five students placed in the runner up positions, Shawn Samuelson, Tiffany Merchant, Alison Jurica, Bonnie Lind and Dyan Boydston.

“Anna had a real good speech – one of the best I’ve ever heard. I have hopes of her going on to state,” said Howard Allen, Voice of Democracy Chairman for the local Post. “It will probably be my last chance to guide through a big winner.”

There were 31 essays submitted this year. “They were a real good bunch,” said Allen. “I would like to thank all of the students who participated.”

The original 32 essays submitted were viewed by teachers at the high school and about 16 or 18 were sent on to be judged by Sam Kings, Marie Gotfredson and Hal Hawley.

As the first place winner, Anna will receive a $50 savings bond and a first place medal/ribbon for her accomplishments. Her speech will now be sent on for judging on the district level. Should they win there, the district winners advance to state, and then on to nationals. At stake are numerous prizes, awards and scholarships.

To date, only one student from Broadus, Meliesa Hawley, has won the contest on the state level, after advancing though the local and district competitions. She was awarded a trip to Washington D.C. for the nationals.

Parents of the local contest winners are Mr. and Mrs. Tim Vernon, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Best, and Larry McGill and Sarah McGill, all of the local community.