European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday March 8, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 21 prep pickin�?Ts2i years later schools still not out prep pickings comes of age this week. On March 6, 1969,1 penned my first official High school column for the stars and stripes succeeding present sports editor Bob Wicker As the prep sports editor. Never in my wildest expectations did i dream that 21 years and 827 columns 813 of my own and 14 As a substitute when Wicker was on leave later prep pickings would still be appearing regularly. Of 1 figured High school sports would be going full steam ahead i did no to figure the two year travel agreement i signed in 1965 would extend for a Quarter of a Century. Much water has flowed under Many Bridges and Over just As Many dams Over the years some of it the Clear Cool water of Good achievements by Dodds and its previous acronyms some of it roiled by some not so Good decisions. I found out very Early that i could write anything 1 wanted about the program a As Long As it was a puff piece that agreed with or praised Dodds administration and i found out Here in Europe As i had Long before As prep sports editor of the Peoria iii., journal Star that the least objective people involved in High school sports often Are the parents. Writing puff pieces to please Dodds administrators and or parents Wasny to exactly the Way i did things in Peoria and certainly Wasny to the Way i wanted to do them in Europe. My philosophy then As now was to make prep pickings interesting and fair to carry reports on the accomplishment of former As Well As current athletes and coaches to congratulate when orchids Are merited to chide when the situation Calls for onions. What a Best for the program a and especially what a Best for the kids a Are my Basic concerns. Naturally there were times when Dodds officials coaches and parents did no to agree with me a and there Are those who still done to. As a result sometimes people take pen in hand and let me know. Letters of derision far outnumber letters of Praise. But that has to be expected because people Are More prone to complain than Laud. That was especially True when i got bombarded Tor taking my stand on the awarding of varsity letters for non varsity sports a first to High school aged competitors participating in the european forces swim league program and then the awarding of monograms to High school aged youth services softball and baseball players. Snurr tand be same a athletes should Nui be awarded varsity letters for non High school activities the establishment of the girls varsity program doubtless is the most important development in Ben Abrams Dodds. The girls always competed in Golf and Tennis and they had been permitted to compete in track and Field in the . As Early As 1972. But it Wasny to until 1974 that girls participation on the cinders became official Dodds wide. Volleyball Cross country and basketball were added the next school year. Today the program which is comparable to the Best girls programs in most stateside schools also includes gymnastics and soccer. Some things never change. When i first assumed the prep sports editors role in 1969, locales for various tournaments especially in Germany and the Bennor often were not known until the last minute. So what a new Sites for several of the Germany Bennor Spring championships Hadnot been finalized when i talked to Dodds Germany coordinator Tom Leblanc monday. He said he hoped to Settle everything at meetings for the athletic directors wednesday and thursday. The Black Day for High school sports in Europe came dec. 9, 1974, when Europe wide championships were abolished in Cross country Golf wrestling Tennis and track and Field. Another Day nearly As dark was Jan. 7, 1975, when someone pushed the panic Button and wiped out All the us Desea sports for the weekend of Jan. 10-11, because of a severe restrictions imposed by the department of the army on the use of travel and try  prep activity resumed the next week and the a lost weekend was for the most part a a found at the end of the regulation season i wrote then except for a few teams whose scheduled games were against no conference opponents a and they were obliterated because they had no effect on conference standings and tournament seeds. Fortunately there were people who recognized the importance of the Europe wide championships and who were Able to stage some events. Track and Field Cross country and wrestling meets and a Tennis tournament were sponsored by such interested parties As the american embassy Booster clubs and private firms in such places As Bonn Berlin we Brucken Naples accent and Brussels. They were staged a and were successful a despite harassment from Dodds officials concerning coaches not being allowed to coach students missing school Dodds facilities being made unavailable and transportation and other facilities and equipment involving use of government funds being banned. One principal actually forbade the schools Booster club from making any contributions to help the athletes get to the events. Dodds still has similar regulations covering Holiday tournament and postseason Competition. The extracurricular non sanctioned european championships have fallen by the Wayside. The one currently established exception to policy is permitting a Dodds Germany All Star team to compete m a basketball tournament in France each Spring. The program has been improved to the extent that All 11-Man football teams Are now included in the postseason playoffs. For two years the . Champion was pitted against the Bennor Winner. Then last year the Small schools format was revised so that the a North Champion played the . Winner and a South Champion battled the a Central Winner in semifinal games with those winners meeting in the title game. That of course is a team concept. The individual Type sports Are still out in the cold. Some a amps contributions which i feel have made for improved High school coverage Over the years include 1. The selection in 1970 of the first All Europe basketball team Wicker had selected an All Europe football team the previous fall and the later expansion of the honors to include players and coaches of the year. And when girls sports came upon the scene the additional expansion to include them in the basketball format was put in effect. 2. The expansion in 1970 of the track and Field Honor Roll to include the top three performers and ties in each event. Previously Only the Leader was run. Berlins Cleo Johnson led that first expanded Honor Roll in the 100, 200, 400 and Long jump. Two weeks later he tried the triple jump and got a first in a fifth event. 3. The inclusion of girls in the stars and stripes athlete of the year program Bonne a Chris Foster m 1975 was the first chosen. Then the next year came the revision in the method of selecting the athletes of the year to a panel to include coaches and principals As Well As representatives of a amps. The format also was changed in 1976 to limit the eligibility to the boy and girl athlete of the year to the ones selected by the respective schools. This revision became necessary because some schools were nominating As Many As seven athletes for a amps All Europe consideration when they were selecting Only one official school athlete of year. How could the other six be considered among the Best in Europe when they weren to considered the Best at their school the stars and stripes Towson St., Illinois St. Wrap up bids re fun a by the associated press stated3 we eke at least it Towson the is a championship team. Evja6 a tigers earned their first 21 w the Mcaa Tournai Dav 3 73 60 Victory tues ?1 ver lehi8h in the coi turf game of the to 1 conference tournament. Thek Timilee su0red 22 pm ints for Tourne a had lost in the the not s title 8ame two of previous three seasons. Tea Monk in has taken this learn two years to come together Towson state coach Terry sch Quot a a la Init is aks to win0-18 10 learn it knows the Hist tentative we rho i Alai Lent repro first round Fivi 3s l0st in the a round five years in a Row. Write us off hmm Piet Are going t0 do a know what we a a we re Eovino enne11 Jones  g e win a College conference tournaments Dozie Mbonu scored 23 Points for Lehigh 18-12which was seeking its third Mcaa tournament bid in six seasons. Joining Towson state in the Mcaa Field which now numbers eight was Illinois state which beat Southern Illinois 8178 to win the Missouri Valley conference tournament at Normal 111. Rickey Jackson hit three free throws in the final 86 seconds to Lead Illinois state. Jarrod Coleman led Illinois state 18-12 with 23 Points. Jackson had 20. Jerry Jones led Southern Illinois 26-7 with 21 Points. In other conference tournaments on tuesday Southland Anthony Jones scored 18 of his 26 Points from Long Range in leading regular season Champion Northeast Louisiana Over Texas Arlington 65-50 in Semi final play at Monroe la. Northeast 21-7 was to meet Southland conference Doormat North Texas 5-24 for the title wednesday. Bobby Kenyon had 19 Points and 15 rebounds for Texas Arlington 12-15. Tave Martins Layup with two seconds remaining gave North Texas a 63-61 upset of Northwestern Louisiana. Ronnie Morgan led North Texas with 15 Points and 12 rebounds. Northwestern 10-19 was led by Dexter Grimsley a 17 Points. Mid continent Jason Reese converted Dale Turners full court pass into a Layup with two seconds to play to give Northern Iowa 21-8 a 63-61 semifinal Victory Over Southwest Missouri state at Cedar Falls Iowa. Cedrick Mccullough scored 12 Points to Lead Northern Iowa and Lee Campbell had 17 for Southwest 22-6. Northern Iowa was to meet Wisconsin Green Bay wednesday night for the title. Tony Bennett playing on an injured leg scored 17 Points to Lead Wisconsin Green Bay 236 to a 49-46 Victory Over Western Illinois. Ron Ateman scored 13 Points for Western 16-13. North Atlantic Matt Johnson scored 21 Points including six straight free throws in the final minute As Vermont Defeated Maine 7875 in first round play at Hartford Conn. Kevin Roberson led Vermont 12-16 with 23 Points. Derrick Hodge had 26 Points and Dean Smith 20 for Maine 11-17. Devin Hughes hit a three Pointer with 1 58 left in the game to give Colgate 8-20 a 54-53 upset Over Hartford. Hughes finished with 18 Points As did Hartford a Lamont Middleton. Hartford 17-11 had Towson Skurk Lee. 22 Points beaten Colgate by 26 and 16 Points during the regular season. Mark Daly scored 20 Points to Lead Boston University 1611 to a 63-56 Victory Over new Hampshire 5-23