   1977-1978  1978 Pottsboro High School Football Team Back Row (L-R) - Mark Hawkins, Bill Malone, Larry Dutton, Bob Hawkins, Lester Barrett 3rd Row (L-R) - Mike Bates, David Waggoner, Kenny Sturgiill, Jimmy Sisemore, David Gibson, David Burleson 2nd Row (L-R) - David Gill, David Thurman, Joe Welch, Danny Sturgill, Randy Glascock, Bobby Peters Front Row (L-R) - Jack Gaines, Steve Atkins, Corky Hendderson, Van Badgett, William Ritchie 1977(11-2)
Bert Glascock 14-A champs 1977 was one of the best years in Pottsboro history. The Cardinals won a classic district championship showdown @ Celina in week 10. The Bobcats were rated #3 in state at 9-0 coming in. Pottsboro’s Lester Barrett had the key play, a 41 yard run on 4th and 1 gave the Cardinals the lead in the 2nd quarter. Celina scored in the 3rd and made the PAT to tie the game but a penalty forced a retry and there was a bad snap on the 2nd attempt. The Cardinals picked up the first playoff win in school history in Bi-District before falling to Wall in the Quarter-finals.
Team
#156, 1972 Pottsboro, led by Larry Spruiell, wins only state title in school history 1-A, POTTSBORO Pottsboro defeated Garrison, 61-60, in the final & Sanford-Fritch, 46-40, in the semi-final at the state tournament. Pottsboro completed an undefeated season at 37-0 and defeated Wylie, 66-48; Forney, 86-62; and Millsap, 64-47; in the regional to make the state tournament for the second time. The Cardinals out shot (50% to 32%) and out rebounded (38-28) Sanford-Fritch in the semi-final and led by 12 in the 4th quarter and won by 6. Pottsboro trailed by 10 points in the third quarter of the final against Garrison but took the lead in the last two minutes with the victory margin coming from two FTs by Larry Spruiell with 3 seconds remaining. Pottsboro lost by one-point in the 1-A final in 1971 to Van Horn but won its first and only state championship in the 1972 1-A final. The two appearances in the final in 1971-72 were the only ones in school history thru 2006. The 1972 final was Garrison’s only time in the state final. The 1972 Pottsboro championship coach was Don Dodd of NTSU. The 1972 Pottsboro Cardinals players were: 11 Jackie Smith, 5’7" (Soph); 12 James Schnitker, 5’9" (Soph); 21 David Towery, 5’9" (Soph); 22 Stanley Hooks, 5’9" (Soph); 31 Jesse Williams, 5’9" (Soph); 32 Mike Kelly, 5’10" (Sr); 33 Tony Oliver, 5’11" Jr; 42 Jerry Casell, 6’2" (Sr); 44 Curtis Campbell, 6’2" (Soph); 51 Larry Spruiell, 6’0" (Jr); & 55 Benny Randles, 6’4" (Sr). Pottsboro was led on the year by 6’0" Jr Larry Spruiell at 24.0 ppg; 6’2" (Sr) Jerry Casell at 16.0; 6’4" Sr Benny Randles at 8.6; 5’9" (Soph) Jesse Williams at 5.7; and 5’11" Jr Tony Oliver at 5.0. The Cardinals were led in the final by Spruiell with 33 points & 9 rebounds and Jerry Casell with 14 points. Garrison was led by 6’1" Sr Melvis Bell with 29 points. Spruiell had 26 points and 11 rebounds in the semi-final and had 59 points and 20 rebounds for the two state games. Bob Dennis led Sanford-Fritch with 13 points. The 1972 1-A All State Tournament Team included Larry Spruiell, 6’0" (Jr) and Jerry Cassell, 6’2" (Sr) of Pottsboro; Melvis Bell, 6’1" (Sr) and Tony Oliphant, 6’0" (Sr) of Garrison; and Mike Welch, 6’1" (Sr) of Somerville. The All State Tournament Team included 6’0" (Jr) Larry Spruiell and 6’2" (Sr) Jerry Cassell of Pottsboro; 6’1" (Sr) Melvis Bell and 6’0" (Sr) Tony Oliphant of Garrison; and 6’4" (Sr) Mike Welch of Somerville. Larry Spruill of Pottsboro and Melvis Bell of Garrison were all-state in 1972. Spruiell transferred to Petrolia for the 1973 season and averaged 27 ppg to lead 34-0 Petrolia into the final. His teams (Pottsboro/Petrolia) won 71 consecutive games in 1972-73. Spruiell is perhaps the only player ever to play in the state finals for two different teams in successive years. Spruiell later played at North Texas and became a H.S. basketball coach. Jerry Cassell was coach of 2005 Van state championship team  Pottsboro School History Elaine Nall Bay ©2014 If you find any of Grayson CountyTXGenWeb links inoperable, please send me a message. |