1907-2007 Indian Trail Centennial
Indian Trail Centennial Book — Indian Trail: The First 100 Years
Excerpt from Indian Trail: The First 100 Years
Sun Valley's Inaugural Football Squad - Fall 1963
Sun Valley?s Principal, H. K. Overcash created a lot of excitement when he announced that Sun Valley would field a football team beginning the fall of 1963. All those years dreaming of a chance to perform on the field finally came to fruition.
The school hired Pete Athanaelos as the Head Coach. Tom Payne was the Line Coach. Willie Williams and Bob Richardson coached the backfield.
The long awaited announcement to report for practice happened in mid August 1963. Over one hundred students reported for the first practice.
Practice consisted of two 2-hour sessions per day in the intense summer heat. After ten minutes on the blocking sled our practice uniforms were soaking wet. The afternoon practices were dreaded because our uniforms were still wet from the morning and the smell would kill you. Little by little the coaching staff turned this rag-tag group into a respectable team.
Uniforms were issued to the following tudents:
Jimmie Campbell, Mike Crowell, Steve Fastje, David Gordon, Bobby Hartis, Johnny Helms, Doug Johnson, Eric Lineburger, Larry Moore, Danny Sheaff, Charles Byrum, Nelson Lemmond, Terry Horne, William Plyman, Howard Pressler, James Price, Joe Fincher, Ronnie Harkey, Mike Honeycutt, Wade Kiker, Steve Litaker, Don Moore, Ronnie Privette, Howard Nivens, Eddie Pressley, Gay Privette, Dale Helms, Sharon Price, Felix Horne, Jimmy Yountz, Don Gantz, Jay Emry, Jim McLain, Sam Secrest, Danny Helper, Kenneth Sykes, Sherrill Connell, Larry Strawn, Delbert Horn, Woody Rowell, Kenneth Haney, Johnny Varda, Rick Carnes, David Dry, Bobby Melton and Marshall McDowell.
Don Moore was elected team captain and Nelson Lemmond co-captain.
The team got off to an excellent start but injuries to key players stalled our progress.
The schedule and results
Sept. 6, 1963 Home Parkwood 20 Sun Valley 14
Sept. 12, 1963 Away Sun Valley 6 Harrisburg 0
Sept. 20, 1963 Home Forrest Hills 33 Sun Valley 0
Sept. 27, 1963 Home Mount Pleasant 41 Sun Valley 7
Oct. 4, 1963 Away Hartsell 46 Sun Valley 19
Oct.11, 1963 Home Sun Valley 38 Anson 6
Oct. 18, 1963 Away Piedmont 39 Sun Valley 12
Oct. 25, 1963 Away South Stanley 75 Sun Valley 6
Nov. 1, 1963 Home Winecoff 21 Sun Valley 0
Nov. 8, 1963 Away West Stanley 34 Sun Valley 13
South Stanley went 10-0 and won the Rocky Rover IIIA championship in 1963.
Final Conference Standings:
South Stanley 10-0
North Stanley 9-1
Mount Pleasant 8-2
Hartsell 6-4
Forrest Hills 5-5
Piedmont 5-5
Winecoff 4-6
Harrisburg 3-7
Anson 2-8
Sun Valley* 2-8
West Stanley 2-8
Parkwood* 1-9
*Sun Valley and Parkwood were first year teams in 1963. At least we finished higher in the standings than Parkwood.
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