Row 1: B. Wertz(mgr), J. Thiessen, R. Christmas, T. Young, D. Wernecke, J. Wright, R. Scheideger, B. Wertz.

Row 2: Coach Allen Wertz, T. Burrier, R. Barnhart, J. Potter, C. Taylor, T. Dunn, B. Copeland, M. Bouscher, S. Nalley(mgr).

Row 3: S. Aul, Brad McClain, S. Kennedy, M. Burky, Randall Newhouser, T. Jones, M. Adams, B. Harding.

Row 4: Coach Ron Lamp, Coach Mike Province, J. Dunn, E. Tomblin, R. Kramer, J. Thiessen, J. Brimager, Coach Frank Kramer, Coach Dave Tucci.

Below is an excerpt from the 1988 yearbook

First year mentor, Dave Tucci, led the Trojans to a 3-7 mark, and 6th place in the very competitive Senate League. The Trojans had a much better year than his record may lead one to believe. Facing two playoff teams, Dover and Minerva, during the regular season, TV found it hard to rebound after those losses.

"Anytime a team is beaten 53-7 it's always harder to come back the next week and try to play your best," stated Coach Tucci.

TV lost to Dover 53-7, and then had to try and come back to beat a well-oriented Sandy Valley, but it didn't happen. The week following matched TV against top-ranked Minerva TV lost 62-0.

Regarding his first year, Coach Tucci commented, "I was excited about the opportunity to try to build a successful program from bottom on up. I think that things are starting to go in that direction judging by the interest displayed in kids and enthusiasm from the board, coaches, and parents."

"My goals were to improve each week and try to be coemptive in each game we played. Overall, I felt that as a team we did improve, but due to injuries and lack of depth, sometimes we were not able to show our our improvement."

This year was a year if pluses despite the record. Coach Tucci remarked, "Jumping out to 2-0 was a big accomplishment; so was beating Tusky Central. The biggest plus of all was the overall play of the underclassmen."

One of those underclassmen, junior Randy Barnhart, commented, "I felt that the '87 season was a learning season. Now under Coach Tucci, and all of the captains we will have a good '88 record. The team is really looking toward '88."

Post-season award winners are Craig Taylor, junior: Best Offensive Back, First Team All-Senate, First Team All-Region; Randy Barnhart, junior; Best Defensive Back, Second Team All-Senate, First All-Region; Trevor Burrier, sophomore; Best Offensive Lineman, HM All-Region; Rusty Scheideger, senior; Specialties, Second Team District 5; Duane Wernecke, senior; Coach's Award, HM All-Region; Jonathan Thiessen, senior; HM District 5.

Pre-Game Jitters

"T'was the night before a game and all through the house, not a creature was stirring..." Oh, sorry! That is the worried player wondering how he is going to do in the upcoming game.

The night before a game can be the worst time to try to catch any sleep for a football player. This is when the player reviews everything he needs to know in his mind: what he should do, what he shouldn't do, and what he is going to do if his opponent outweighs him by 30 pounds. The night before can also entail eating pasta to increase carbohydrates in the body: carbohydrates store energy in the muscle waiting to be used in ex cerci se.

Certain rituals are sometimes followed by players. When asked about some of the rituals, senior, Jon Thiessen commented, "On the night before a Friday game, I always change my spikes, review my playbook, make sure my insurance is paid in full, ready my "French Lick" schimmel, and not shave.

Whatever works is what we do.

Season Results