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By Jim StuartWheeling's varsits basketball team will open its 1969season tomorrow night with anew coach and some new laces. The Wildcats, winners of the Mid-Suburban I eague the past two seasons, travel toC rystal Lake tor a non-conference game Friday and beginw-' %ga7the defense of their crownf*JiDec. 5 against Prospect.IV) c 1The new coach is Ted Eck-er. formerly the jayvee mentor■Soccer Coaches Association4ias announced its selection of■Evanston High School as the * ^41 umber one kickball team in the state for 1969,* The Wi I kits ran through 15 -opponents without a defeat to 4.‘laim the honorary title otw4tate champions, taking the jslace of last year’s state champion Maine East squad.Ql'IGLEY SOLTH, With a12-1-1. slate was considered number two in Illinois, whileseason with only two starters back from last year's great outfit and without the services of C'arl Fricke. Jack Bastable and Don Wright, who formed thenucleus ot that team.NEVERTHELESS. EC Iv-I R does not consider this a rebuilding \ear. mainly becauseW. mt *of a great deal of overall depth and some high hopes concerning 6-10 sophomore center Roger Wood.s.We have more depth this year than we've had in a longEast vs ill serve as association president. Dollaske will be assisted bv Tons Schinto of New I ner East and Sandy Swan of New Frier West. Schinto willserve as vice-president andSwan will till the Secretary-Treasurer position.One of the major aims of thecoaches association will be toorganize a state soccer tournament to replace the currenttime, said Ecker. “There are 12 boys on the varsity, and I wouldn't hestitate to use any of them in a tight situation.”Wood, one of three sophomores on the otherwise all-senior crew, could turn out to be a truly great basketball player it he continues to improve ashe has in the last year. He has grown two full inches since last season and is making great strides in all phases of thegame.“He couldn’t even make his grade school team two years ago when he was an eighth gra-Residents inOak Park SkiorganizationSeveral area residents have just been accepted into associate membership in the Oak Park Ski Club. They are Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ballard. 508 Sussex Court, Elk Grove; Jim Davis. 1036 E. Algonquin Rd., Arlington Heights; James Doolittle. 1127 S. Wilke, Arlington Heights; and ElmoreLechelt, 2311 S. Goebbert, Arlington Heights.Since 1952, the Oak Park Ski Club has provided a year-round program for skiers over 21 years of age. This year it is sponsoring 20 ski trips, three of which are w estern trips.The club was instrumental in the formation of the Chicago Metropolitan Ski Council as well as in the presentation of the first Chicago Ski Fair.der,” said Ecker. “Last year he came up to the jayvees in mid-season, and since thenhe’s made great progress.”THE NEW COACH is extremely high on the youngster, even going so far as to say that he could be a high school All-American bv the time he is a*senior.Of course Wood is still making a lot of mistakes and, at 15, he hasn't filled out yet. But he has a fine instinct about going to the hoop, and he already has some fine moves around the basket. He also has displayed a great attitude in practice.Woods' duels with 6-8 sophomore center Andy Pan-cratz of arch-rival Hersey should become classic bv the time both are seniors.TEAMING WITH Woodon Wheeling's starting unit will be the two regulars from last year, Kevin Barthule and Gary Kawell, plus returning seniors Jon Pitt and Bob Stegg.Barthule, a fine outside shooter, will team up with Stegg in the Wildcat back-court. Kawell and Pitt will join Wood on the front line. With last year's “set five” getting most of the playing time Pitt and Stegg are somewhat lacking in experience, but they seem to fit into the system quite well and show few signs of newness.A pleasant surprise for Ecker is the availability of football star Dan Hull, who played basketball as a sophomore but who missed last season's competition. Hull hurt a knee in football but apparently is now fully recovered.“I’M REAL pleased to have Dan out this year,” said Ecker. “He is very aggressive and should help us quite a bit on defense. That knee bothered him slightly during the first few practices, but he appears to be ready now.”Two other seniors described by Ecker as “real hustlers” are Bill Tvlerand Dan Stynowski,J Jwho should both see a lot of action at the forward positions.Scott Wilson, at 6-3 the team's tallest player except for Wood, will be the back-up center. The senior pivot man has had a back injury to contend with and has only recently played at 100 per cent capacity, but according to Ecker he has a lot of desire and should be ready to go Friday night.Another Wildcat who has been hampered by injury isguard Mark Bencriscutto. anoutside shooter who hurt his ankle in an early workout. He had been slated for a starting spot, but the ankle injury has slowed him up sufficiently to prevent Ecker from using him in that role right away.THE OTHER two sophomores in addition to Wood are guards Jim Kass and Tony Schuld, who both figure heavily in the Wildcat plans this year. Ecker is especially high on Schuld.“Tony already does things with the ball that no one else has ever done at this school,” he said, speaking of Schuld's ball-handling ability. “He is a very unselfish kid who loves to set his teammates up, and withexperience he should be a fine ballplayer.If there is a major weakness at Wheeling this year, it would have to be rebounding. With the exception of Wood the ‘Cats are definitely lacking in height, and that puts added pressure on the thin soph.But once the Wildcats own the ball they can certainly run. and as a result Ecker has been drilling them on fast break plays, especially against theTHEY HAVE the depth towear down opponents who have to rely on five or six mainstays, and if Wood progresses as quickly as Eckerwould like, this year's Wildcat•*cagers may surprise quite a few teams that look for a “rebuilding year at Wheeling.method of chosing yearly lead-W* J *La Grange. 13-2-1. was voted ers.Wat Wheel me He faces the newKmEvanston #1 soccer teamThe Illinois High School the third best for the vear.New officers were elected, and Bob Dallaske of Maine
Newspaper Details
Arlington Heights Day
Arlington Heights, Illinois, US
Thu, Nov 20, 1969
Page 9
Full Page
Clipped by
Dion M.
USA 02 Oct 2022
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