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There'll Be Changes Made' * ByDAVEEGBERTStaff WriterEveryone likes to be a coach.■ So, give me the scorebook and I’ll fill in the names of Findlay High’s starting lineup for January.Coach John Stozich won’t commit himself, obviously concerned over possible friction within the team, but it’s almost a certainty that the Trojans’ makeup will change soon.The reason is simple.Despite the fact that Stozich doesn’t want to ruffle the feathers of some established ball players, ff he simply has some better talent available in two of a bumper crop of sophomores. .The Trojans, 4-2, travel to Lorain Admiral King for an 8p.m. game today. FohprtIt’s no easy task to crack intothe top five as a sophomore in the Buckeye Conference. When you can do it with five lettermen back from a team that went 13-7 the year before,, it’s even more impressive.FHS’s veterans did show their spunk while 6-6 center Dave Rieker was ill with a 102.2 fever against Buckeye Conference leader Sandusky.However, sophomore Terry Schlencher, who missed a week with torn ligaments, can't be left on the sidelines much longer with FHS desperately needing to find more outside firepower. Schlencher, 6-foot-2, and a deadly shooter, will force 1976-77 starters Kurt Jefferies and Kevin Gase into backup duty.If, and when it happens, how well the upperclassmen take it will determine how good this Findlay High basketball team will become. The potential for great things is present.Struggling Shawn Wiseman, a part-time starter last season as $ sophomore, looks like the third veteran headed for a reserve role.Rick Maroney, a sophomore who shows maturity well beyond his age, started at slotback for the Blue and Gold football team. He’s gutsy an'd has thecapability to make things happen all over the court. The 5-foot-10 guard’s play in the last two games, including 22 points against Fremont, have earned him a chance to show what he can do against varsity, com* petition.Maroney, like standout Scott Hamlin,five years ago, plays with the intensity of a winner arid I doubt he can be intimidated by older players.With Rick Bell and Dave Rieker effective Inside and guard Steve Dean as another outside threat, the Trojans appear to have their best balance with this lineup., Along with, the depth that Jefferies, Gase, Wiseman and Kevin kayes can pffer, I think these changes would start things falling intq place soon for the Trojans.It’s an oddity, but Findlay’s 72-69 loss to Sanduskycould be the turning point of this seaspn. It showed just how hard and well the Trojans can play — against a top-notch basketball team — even without Rieker, or a Schlencher or Maroney touching the roundball.Rieker, who returned to practice Monday, has recovered from his fever .but “is definitely not gping to start” today, according to Stozich. “He was tired within five minutes. He rah that temperature for a couple of days and it kind of sapped him. ”Junior varsity coach Jim Baron also deserves credit for the job he’s done molding the sophomores into an undefeated team. Sure, he’s blessed with talent, but Baron has demonstrated a knack for getting the most out of his players.After scoring 75 points against an unbeaten Fremont team, Findlay rebounded from a disastrous first half where nothing went right, and failed to fold on the road against Sandusky. Baron has his team playing near its potential.Lorain Admiral King,; although small in size, will present another quick team of good jumpers today, but if FHS moves the ball upcourt cautiously and rations its dribblesgjhe turnover count should be low.The Trojans did their best job of the season handling the presain Sandusky, showing court sense that had been lacking previously.Findi^’s junior varsity tangles with the Admirals at6:30 p.
Newspaper Details
Findlay Courier
Findlay, Ohio, US
Tue, Dec 20, 1977
Page 15
Full Page
Clipped by
Jim R.
OH, USA 25 Sep 2020
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