1983 Miller Grove Hornet Teams Honored,
Friday Night

 

by: Bobby McDonald

 

Coach Don Hobson, Coach of both the Hornets and Lady Hornets
teams in 1983, returned and described his pleasant memories of
coaching the teams to play-off action.

 

Gasoline was $1.25 a gallon and the U.S. Space Shuttle "Challenger" made its maiden voyage. Cabbage Patch dolls were all the rage and it was "Tootsie," " Flashdance," "Terms of Endearment," and "National Lampoon's Vaction" that were popular on the movie screen. It was January 1983, thirty years ago, and the "buzz" around the Miller Grove Community, in Southwestern Hopkins County, was that both the girls and boys basketball teams were "hot" and advancing in the play-offs!

Well, those students who were part of the 1983 Hornet and Lady Hornet Teams, were reunited, on Friday night, as they were recognized, following the Miller Grove vs Campbell games.

"I distinctly remember the fond memories of these men and women," exclaimed Coach Don Hobson, coach of both the 1983 teams. "They were student leaders in 1983 and as you can see continue to be leaders in their community and making a difference. That's what a coach enjoys coming back and seeing, thirty years later!"

 

 

 

It was in 1983 that Hurricane "Alicia" hit the Texas Coast, but the "storm" in Miller Grove was that the teams kept advancing and winning. Both teams advanced to the third games of the Regional Play-offs, before meeting their "matches!"

"It was the Dukes of Hazzard and the last episodes of M.A.S.H. that were being viewed on television," remembered one member of the teams. "But, nobody was watching television, as they were coming out to watch the games!"

"It was The Police's Every Breath You Take, Lionel Richie's All Night Long, and Michael Jackson's Beat It, that were popular songs for the team," allowed another member. "Those were the songs that we played at prom and listened to on our 'cassette decks' in our cars!"

"And, somebody said that 1983 was the year that Lotus 1-2-3 was introduced for computers, that year!" added another team member. "Can you believe how far technology has advanced, since we were in high school!"

 

1983 Miller Grove Hornets

L to R: Anthony Berryhill,Clint George,Teddy Jennings, Ricky Jennings, Monty Tipps,

Brad Anderson, Jeff Seiber, David Key, Doug Hall, Leslie White, Brian Lennon

Coach Don Hobson center 

 

 

1983 Miller Grove Lady Hornets

 

L to R: Kim Potts, Robin Garrett, Shelly Ragan, Sherry Ragan,Coach Don Hobson,

Christi Wilcox,Vonda McWilliams, Julita Petty, and Cathy Weatherly 

 

Freshman on the Hornet Team, Monty Tipps, may have expressed it the best, as he spoke to the group, Friday night, "I was just a freshman and looked-up to all of these guys and still do. They taught me many lessons in life, both on and off the court, and it was a magic time for all of us to play a game we loved and get to travel all over North and East Texas, as we advanced in the play-offs!"

 

Congratulations,
1983 Miller Grove Teams!!!

 

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