Back row, left to right: Coach Jim Cawood, Larry Wetzel, Ron Estes, David Kress, Gene Simpson, Doug Sanders, Jim Mehling, Wayne Jones, Bill Weber, Wayne Stood, Ass’t. Coach Mitch Haskins.
Dale’s Golden Aces will open their 1966-67 basketball seasonal home tonight when they host Woody Neel’s Holland Dutchmen. Although the game will be played on Veterans Day, the only basketball veteran on Dale’s squad is the coach himself, Jim Cawood who will begin his twelfth season in basketball coaching and his third season at the helm of the Golden Aces.
Cawood’s experience will be a very useful tool, as he is faced with a rebuilding job. Fans thought that when Stan Guth , Dick Walker and mates graduated in 1964 and a new coach was stepping into the picture, a dim picture was in the horizon, but the Aces snapped back with a terrific 18-5 season!
Lost though graduation are two of the area’s flashiest, toughest guards Roger Guth and Billie Painter; on of the hardest-working forwards around in J. D. Springston, plus Randy Flamion, David Gripenstroh and Vernon Dilger.
Four of the Golden Aces this year earned letters last season. Gene Simpson , a 6-3 1/2 senior and Ron Estes, 6-0, Bill Weber 5-10 1/2 and Larry Wetzel 5-9 and all juniors will be the only ones who saw any action last season on the varsity.
Looking down string, Cawood will probably give the nod to Simpson for center slot, Jim Mehling, a 6-0 senior (who did not play ball last season) will be given a chance at one of the forward positions, and Ron Estes will probably emerge as as the floor general in guard position. Wayne Stoud and Bill Weber , both 5-10 1/2 juniors and Larry Wetzel 5-9 and also a junior are working hard to fill out the two remaining five are Wayne Jones, a 6 ft. senior; juniors Daivd Kress 6-2, Van Martin 6-1, and Steve Meyer 5-8 1/2.
Although all of the lads are untested under fire, you can be sure of one thing… they will all come to play basketball!
Opening the season against the Holland Dutchman will be as good a place to test their strength as any. The visiting Dutchmen have already tucked a pair of contests under their belts, and they are laced with seasoned veterans such as big Jerry Buetel 6-5, Phil Luebbehusen 6-0 both seniors and 6-4 junior Jerry Hilsmeyer. New on the Holland varsity is Don Buse, a 6-2 junior, who does not play like a newcomer, totaling 29 points in their first two engagements. Rick Barnett, a 6-0 senior, Steve Henke 6-0 and Phil Meyer 5-9, both sophomores, will fill out the varsity string this season. Holland also carries another advantage in their assistant coach Pat Arnold, who will be working against his alma mater. The Dutchman lost to Perry Central 51-49 in their season opener, but thundered over Ireland 58-26.
Game times will be 6:30 ad 8 p.m. for all home games.
