Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, January 30, 2014

A full night of activities are planned in conjunction with the last home basketball games for the Mount Ayr boys and girls on February 7.

Not only will senior basketbal players and their parents be honored on Senior Night, the Mount Ayr Community Foundation will host a fund-raiser and recognize senior members of the 1973-74-75 basketball teams, coaches and cheerleaders. In addition, the names of the inaugural class of the newely-formed Mount Ayr Community Hall of Fame will be made public and the state-champion Sparks dance team will perform.

The start time of the girls basketball game against Pleasantville has been moved to 6 p.m. to accommodate all the activities.

At half-time of the girls game, senior members, cheerleaders and coaches of the 1973, 1974 and 1975 boys and girls basketball teams will be honored.

With a record of 21-4, the 1973 boys team qualified for the state tournament while the girls team won the Tall Corn Conference championship with a record of 15-6.

Senior members of the 1973 boys team included Bob Johnson, Dave McNeil, Kurt Nichols, Rick Adams, David Henderson and Pat Monaghan and coaches Glen McDonald and John Kelley.

The 1973 senior girls include Brenda (Roe) Weeda, Janell (Klejch) Huffman and Linda (Dolecheck) Crandall and coaches Mark Larsen and James Saville.

Senior cheerleaders in 1973 were Cindy (Poore) Stephens, Gannie (Rotert) Porter, Ellen (Trullinger) Brand and Sandy (Small) Thomas.

The 1974 boys team went 7-8 (sic), but the girls posted a 16-8 record.

Senior boys in 1974 were Mark Packwood, Carlin Lawhead, Steve Eason and Ross King with coaches Greg Henry and Dan Day.

Senior players for the 1974 Raiderettes included Suzanne (Henry) Calhoun, Sally (Hunt) Hansen, Sandie (Terry) Jett, Ginny (Skarda) Eighmy and Evelyn (McAlexander) Oliver.

Senior cheerleaders for 1974 were Glenda (Golliday) Gross, Vicki (Irving) Westerly, Ann (Horne) Webb and Alice (Reed) Mattis.

In 1975 the boys team made a repeat appearance at the state tournament with a 19-5 record. For the second straight year the girls had 16 wins against eight losses.

Senior boys on the 1975 team include Eric Fell, Rich Johnson, Bruce Ricker, Brian Neiman, Crae Geist and Pat Weeda with coaches Mark Matney and Tom McSweeeney.

The 1975 girls team had only one senior, Dee Dee (Frost) Sobotka. Coaches were Mark Larsen and James Saville.

The 1975 teams had one senior cheerleader, Karen (Caldwell) Taylor.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2014