By CHUCK GODBY
For The Reporter
The word on Sheridan’s Main Street was if you wanted to see the junior varsity basketball team play you had better get to the gymnasium early in order to secure a good seat.
Wait! Whoa!
What?
This JV, B-team we’re talking about, right?
Since the beginning of time JV basketball games commonly fly under the radar, allowing community members time to socialize before the main event: the varsity game. But the 1972-73 – 50 seasons ago – was different at Sheridan High.
After Coach Lanny Parker assembled his varsity unit, Coach Rex Bowman’s junior varsity roster consisted of four juniors and eight sophomores. Early in the season, the reserve Black Hawks would lose a junior player to the varsity squad, and throughout the season would bring up a freshman or two to add depth, but the 11 core players would go on to post 18 wins against just two losses.
“It was a great team to play on,” said Ken Noe, then a sophomore. “We beat the varsity a few times in practice. If a team pressed us, we shot layins until they stopped. Pass the ball. No dribbling. That’s how we played.”
Defense was, perhaps, the team’s greatest asset and created the greatest buzz among the local fan base.
“All the players took pride in playing defense,” Bowman pointed out. “It was the coach’s requirement. Our defensive philosophy was to press full court to create turnovers, and play man-to-man half-court defense.”
The coach called a special group of players that “made me look good as a coach.”
“They were outstanding young men, good students, and model school citizens,” he recalled during a recent interview. “They were representing themselves, their parents, the basketball program, school, and community. And they did it with class.”
There was nothing special about the start of the season. The locals won their first two games before stumbling to Rossville.
Then came back-to-back wins against Hamilton County rivals Hamilton Heights and Noblesville that would ignite the Hawks on a 16-game winning streak that quickly fired up a community that was starved for some kind of hardwood success not seen in this town in many years … Most call it then and now The Hobbs Era.
“Keep in mind the quality of basketball being played at that time throughout Central Indiana and we beat all the Hamilton County schools on our schedule,” Bowman pointed out. “Beating two outstanding programs, Clinton Central by one point, and Lapel in overtime showed the confidence and never-give-up attitude of this special group I coached. We were going to battle you until the final buzzer sounded.”
The magical season would end in heartache, a 52-46 loss to Zionsville.
Fifty years have passed since that unique JV campaign, but the coach remembers each player and how each one contributed to the team’s magical run.
“They were great teammates and always encouraging each other,” Bowman said. “An acknowledgement of a nice pass leading to a score is how a winning team plays. Each one of them had their special game and our opponents couldn’t focus on just one player. We could score from all positions.
“Jim Haughey and Bob Godby were excellent guards who could drive to the basket, score and pass, Bowman recalled.
Sheridan’s 1972-73 JV coach Rex Bowman (right) ran into Bob Godby, one of his guards from the 18-2 team, who was officiating Sheridan’s reserve
game against Elwood on Homecoming night. (Photo provided)
“Larry McClay was our leading scorer and a solid, all-around player.
“Chuck Hobson gave us a strong inside presence and could score and rebound.”
“David Potts could score, but his primary responsibilities were to guard the other team’s best offensive player, handle the ball against the press, and rebound,” the coach continued.
“Rick Gary rotated off the bench with the forwards, Ken Noe with the guards, and Jay King at the center position. They were the first three off the bench and contributed to the team’s success.
“Eddie West, Terry Bishop and Ron Martin were always ready when their numbers were called and made everyone else better through their efforts in practice.”
It seemed only fitting then that Coach Bowman was on hand for Sheridan’s annual Hardwood Homecoming game two weekends ago. While the varsity Hawks won their eighth game of the season – matching the 1972-73 varsity team’s win total for the whole season – the junior varsity improved to 12-2 beating Elwood, then added a 13th win a week later at Delphi.
“I wasn’t aware the JV was 11-2,” the coach admitted prior to homecoming.
He might be watching Coach Randy Garner’s team a little closer now.