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Bulldogs Will Challenge for TitleNEW LONDON - Apparently there arc some folks at' New London talking about an East Central Conference title. Thatikind of chitchat doesn’t make sense to Bulldog Coach Dick Bennett.“I guess there are a lot of people who expect us to be extremely .strong,” Benett said, “but I don’t know why they should. We may surprise somebody, because I’ve had kids who have worked hard over the summer. But at the same time they’re inexperienced, and you don’t win too many without experience.”Bennett cited a lack of size and quickness as other reasons why the team may not approach last season’s 14-6 overall record — the best in 30 years at New London.“We’re small and not very fast,” he said. “I’ve had small teams before, but they’ve been quick ones. This team just doesn’t seem to have any speed.“We should be a good shooting team, but there's a question whether we can move well enough to get the good shots.” .Two of the better shooters are 6-2 senior forward Dave Teschke and 5-9 senior guard Bill Stern, both ieltermen. The third letter-winner is 6-0 junior forward Mark Egland.Teschke led New London in scoring last season with 183 points in league action, while Stern had 132 points. Stem made 80 per cent of his free throws, hitting on 20 of 25.Graduation losses and injuries have hurt the Bulldogs, who last season had an 11-3 ECC mark, second only to Ripon’s 12-2.Gone through graduation are apair of 6-2 frontliners, Cal Handschkc and Gary Wendt, who scored 321 points and pulled down 269 rebounds between them, and guard Bill Steingra-ber. Steingraber recorded 156 points and 93 assists,A football knee injury has hampered 6-1 junior Rick Kae* pernick, who had been counted on as one of the starting forwards.“He’s in uniform, but he’s hobbling,” said Bennett. “Right now he can’t do much of anything. Kaepernick is an excellent shooter, along with Stern and Teschke, but it’s doubtful if he’ll be able to help us.”Bennett also said that Egland has been having knee trouble.Nonleltermcn who will probably see extensive action are 6-0 Dan Parfitt and 5-9 Dave Nolan, a pair of seniors. The only other big man at New London besides Teschke is 6*2 xh senior Steve Weber. Weber is out for basketball for the first time.With this lack of experience, the starting berths are wide open, according to Bennett.• “The guys who show me they can go get the ball, whether they’re 5*9 or 6-3, will be the ones to play,” he said. “I’d like to find a couple big kids, but ifnot we'll go with aggressiveness.”Like most other observers, Bennett picked Ripon and Waupaca as the best ECC teams. He also predicted Weyauwega would be in the title fight.“I have a lot of respect for these teams, and I’m very concerned about our ability to be competitive with them,” he said. “By competitive I’m talking in terms of a title. Realistically, I’m hoping we can get in the first division.”The Bulldogs open Saturday night at Shawano. Their first conference game will be a tough one —■ Nov. 19 at Waupaca.“If we could start fast, I think it would carry over,” Bennett said, “and I really feel that by the end of the season we’ll be a real good team.“Unfortunately, the first game counts as much as the last one.”Now London Basketball ScftttfultNOV, 73 — a! Show6fiO INC), 8:00,Nov. 19 — at Waupaca, 8:00,Nov. 90 — Appleton East (NO# 8:00.Nov, 23 — at Weyavweao, *;do.Dec. 3 — Ort\ro, 8:00.Dec. 7 - Chilton (NC), 8:00.DOC. 10 — HortonvJIle, 8:00.DOC. 17 — at Berlin, 8:00.Dec. 30 — Sturgeon Bay (NC), 8:00.Jan. 7 — WJnneconnc, 8:00.Jan, 14 — at Rioon, 8:00.Jan. is — Waupaca, 8:00.Jan, 21 — Wcvauv/cga, 8:00.Jan. 28 — a! Omro, 8:00,Jan. 29 — at Hortonville, 8:00.Feb. 4 — at Winneeonne, 8:00.Feb. 11 — Berlin, 8:00.Feb. 18 — Ripon, 8:00.the varsity include Mark Salm, Bill Messerschmidt and Dave Reinders, tallest player on the team at just under 6*3.The Winneeonne Jayvees ran up a 8-10 record last season. Winneeonne opens its. seasonnn Wmr 1*3 kir hncfinrtementReturning ExperienceNew London's cage hopes for the upcoming season Stern and Egland should give New London a topwill rest on the likes of returning ietternnen, from tandem at guard, while Teschke will work at center,left. Bill Stern, Dove Teschke, and Mark Egland. —-“Neenah-Menasha Northwestern photo
Newspaper Details
Oshkosh Daily Northwestern
Oshkosh, Wisconsin, US
Fri, Nov 12, 1971
Page 14
Full Page
Clipped by
Uw -.
WI, USA 10 Jul 2023
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