Standing: Mike Kline, Jeff Phillips, Marc Schum, Rick Tullis, Ken Neighbors, Ken Carpenter, Randy Neighbors, Don Guth and Jeff Feldpausch.
Burke Scott and his Heritage Hills Patriots will soon down their sights on the Forest Park Rangers next Tuesday evening to open their 1977-78 basketball season. The game will be played at Huntingburg’s spacious gym with Forest Park the host. Game times will be 5 and 6:30 p.m. CST since Forest park has the time difference with Heritage Hills.
When these two teams clash Tuesday they will be very similar in size and experience. The tallest player on either team is 6-2. Forest Park was small last year as well., but the Pats lost the tall timber of Dan Schum, Brett Ayer, Jeff Wilmes, and Roger Graman. Their strategy must change this season offset the size this is not necessarily a deficit as it is the type of game coach Burke Scott knows the best… speed, deception, and accuracy.
For the hosting Rangers they have two returning letterman in 6-2 Steve Gerber and 5-10 Lance Becher. Both are seniors. Another senior, Lee Wilmes at 6-1 1/2 saw very limited action with the varsity, along with juniors Tom Austin 5-11 and Mark Jahn 5-9.
Advancing from the Ranger JV team of last year will be John Knust 5-0, all juniors. Plus sophomores Pay Snyder 6-1 1/2, Scott Verkamp 6-1, Rick Meier 6-0, Bill Mehling 5-9, Dean Blessinger 5-11 1/2 and Keith Hoffman 5-7. Three freshman are listed on the roster: Lance Luegers 6-1, Kris Schwinghammer 5-8 and Matt Meyer 5-8 1/2.
Just where coach Jim Peacock will break the line is not clear, but the roster will include both the varsity and junior varsity teams. They have graduated Jim Mehling, Paul Ruhe, Mark Weyer and Mark Kordes and completed a 9-12 record including a 58-56 loss to Heritage Hills in an overtime affair.
Returning for the Pats will be seniors Ken Neighbors 6-1, Jeff Feldpausch 5-11, Marc Schum 6-0 and Terry Price 5-10. Neighbors was the only steady varsity performer for the Pats but Feldpausch, Schum and Price saw limited action. Neighbors racked up about 125 point last season as a guard.
Laced into this new lineup will be 6-2 Ken Carpenter, 5-11 Mike Kline, 5-10 1/2 Jeff Phillips, 5-9 Ken Rickelman, Gary Spurlock 5-11 and Keith Wahl 5-9 as juniors. Another Guth boy is on his way. Don is a 6 ft sophomores, along with Randy Neighbors 6-0, Rick Tullis 6-2 and Brian Wahl 5-10 1/2.
Heritage Hills will be defending a 17-6 record, and as usual, Steve Merkel will provide the varsity withy some solid talent from his JV team. Also as usual this game Tuesday is expected to be another classic!
This game with Forest Park was scheduled from another date to allow those on the Forest Park team and the band to participate in the Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia. Band members who play on the basketball team, will leave the gym and get right on the bus for Philadelphia, which is scheduled to leave at 10:30 p.m. (9:30 our time).
Pats Basketball Season Ticket Sale
Heritage Hills basketball season tickets will be on sale at the high school beginning Monday, Nov. 21. Prices this year are $14.00 for reserved seat, $12.00 for adult season ticket, and $8.00 for adult season ticket. All tickets at the door will be $2.00. Fans who wish to have the same reserved seat as last year should notify the school by Wednesday, Nov. 30.
Heritage Hills season will open Nov. 22 against Forest Park at Huntingburg, with the first home game scheduled for Dec. 2 against South Spencer.
