.-r' The Sentinel cm A Com J tocli j a rh ( < ( \ ouner vi -z. r* | 3 § n > »- O o ^ ^ C- o ^ ^ uz * ^ po -< Volume 88— Established 1876 Sparta, Michigran Wednesday, Nov. 10, 1965 Number 45 \ 1965 TRI-RIVER LEAGUE FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS—The Spartans defeated the Rockford Rams 14-6 last Friday night to clinch Sparta High School's first football title since 1953. Spartans are: Front row: left to right, Marv Knauf, Leon Kik, Jim VanderZee, Jay DeBoer, Tim Cumings, Jack Carlson, Jon Cumings, Mark Krauss. Second row: Steve Archer, Bill Mars, Tim Pease, Mike Keck, Pete Childres, Mark Potes, Ken Traxler, Rod Heugel. Third row: Mike Stewart, Randy Longstreet, Pat Spartans Win Tri-River Championship With 14-6 Victory Over Rockford Hall, Bob Overholt, Paul Swanson, Rich Bloom, Paul Johnson, Chuck Brown, Rich Knauf, Mike Bottorff. Fourth row: Ro- land Losey, Larry Andrus, Bud Elve, Dan Schiffer, Dick Hodges, Steve Young, John Blaauw, Tom McCready, Mike Mieras. Fifth row: Jack Dinkel, Bill Lauffer, Jim Tuin- stra, Ron Vogel, Bill Goodfellow. Back row: Coaches Jerry Wabeke, Hess Wever and Jim Dickey; Managers Rex Bartlett and Bill Barenbrock. Photo by DeVo The Sparta High Spartans brought the Tri-River football championship home to Sparta last Friday night by downing the favored Rockford Rams 14-6 in one of the biggest upsets of the season. A crowd of more than 5,000 excited fans witnessed one of the fines thigh school football games of all time as the determined underdog Spartans combined tj e elements of surprise, harmonious teamwork, and finely executed plays coupled with aggres- sive offense and tough defense to give them the coveted victory over the hard-hitting Rams. The victory not only gives Sparta the league crown but possession of the Oil Can for the first time, a subject of rivalry between the two schools. In toppling the Rams from their unbeaten perch, the Spartans set a few records. This is the first time in the history of the Tri-River League that Sparta has won a football championship. Their last league title came in 1953 when they captured the crown of the old Ken-Owa League. Not only has Sparta never won more than three conference games in one season before, but this is the first time in the history of the school that Sparta has ever beaten Lowell and chalked up its first win over Rockford since 1954. School spirit had reached an in- tensive high in the week preceding the showdown clash and reached a tremendous peak on Friday night when eightbusloads of studentboost- ers and a pep band joined the swell- ing crowd of spectators at Rockford more than an hour before game time. By 6:30 p.m., the only seats available were in enemy lerritory and soon afterwards, it was Standing Room Only. The weatherman cooperated to produce a dry crisp night, perfect for football, the fans were there cheering; and the only thing left was for the team to play ball and win that championship. And win they did! They played the kind of ball for which any coach can be justly proud. The broad smiles on the faces of Coaches jim Dickey, Jerry Wabeke, and Hess Wever, could leave no room for doubt! The happiness and en- thusiastic support of the fans was contagious and the Spartans played like champions. The winners put together touch- downs in Uie first and third quarters and held Rockford until the final three minutes of the showdown bat- tle for their 14-6 win. Sparta stayed on the ground to (Continuetl on page 2) Sparta State Bank Represented by Two At Bankers' Meeting Gordon VanDenMout and Larry Bradford, officers of the Sparta State Bank, attended a Consumer Credit Conference on November 3rd and 4ih. The conference is an annual event sponsored by tlie Michigan Bankers Association and was held at Boyne Lodge this year. County To Vote On • • • i'i | Increased Tax Millage 1 Voters of Kent County have been asked to ballot in a Nov. 16 election on the proposal to "lock up" the county's allocated tax rate with a "permanent" 10-year division of millage among the various units. The issue was placed on the ballot by a 53-16 vote of the Board of Supervisors, acting under implementation by the state legislature of a provision of the new state Constitution. As set up in the proposal the permanent allocations of millage, on an 18-mill level, would be: Kent County 5,53 mills, an increase of .715; school districts 10.83 mills, an increase of 1.98 over the present allocation; townships 1.50, an increase of .25, and the Kent Intermediate District .14, an increase of .055. Stabilization at the 18 mill level instead of at the present 15 mill limit is the intent of the millage proposal's supporters. They report that virtually all school districts in the county now have voted extra millage, putting the tax levy above the 18 mill level, Kent County will be among the first to adopt this principle if the Nov. 16 proposal is adopted, but not the first. Five counties already have adopted a fixed allocated tax rate, including Mid- land, Washtenaw, Cass, Ogemaw and Tuscola Counties. In Mid- land and Washtenaw, industrial counties like Kent, the division closely parallels that proposed here. School Boards in Grand Rapids, East Grand Rapids, Sparta, Rockford, Godwin, Wyoming, Kenowa, Kelloggsville, Kentwood, Comstock Park and other districts have already approved the proposal. SPARTA SCHOOL BOARD SUPPORTS 18-MILL LIMIT The proposal on die Nov, 16 ballot to "freeze" Kent County tax alloca- tions for a 10-year period at an 18- mill limit has been given support in die Sparta area by the Sparta area schools Board of Education. The Sparta School Board indorsed the principle of a fixed millage for each unit of government. Supt, Joseph Puvogel of the Sparta School system has agreed that the basic issue is stabilization of the millage alloca tion, "We haven't levied all of our voted extra millage, and under an increase of allocated millage under this proposal it is unlikely we would take advantage of the voted millage to any greater extent. It need hot mean a school tax increase here," Mr, Puvogel comments. J r Behind the Tri-River League champions are the coaches, three men- tors who went far out of their way to instill the knowledge and enthusiasm into the Sparta High School football team so necessary to consistently win. They are (left to right) Jerry Wabeke, line coach; James Dickey, head coach, and Hessel Wever, backfield coach. Frank Holmquist New Sparta Twp. Building Inspector hrank Holmquist of 3094 13-Mile Road, former Sparta Township Sup- ervisor, has been appointed Sparta Township Building Inspector to suc- ceed the late Fred Humeston. A resident of Sparta Township since 1922, Mr. Holmquist served as supervisor from 1938 to 1951. He al- so was a member of the old Spang- enberg No. 1 School District Board of Education and was Justice of the Peace from 1932-38, Prior to his recent retirement, he was with the Kent County Treas- urer's office as n deputy tax col- lector farm representative. He held this position at two different times for a total of 11 years, Mr. Holmquist is a member of Mamrelund LuUieran Church and is a past commander of tlie Lekstrum- Burnett Post of the American Le- gion. He also was associated with tlie former Peoples State Bank in Sparta for three and one half years prior to its merger with tlie Sparta State Bank. Sparta Runners Finish Eighth Sparta cross country team placed eighth in the Class B State Meet held last Saturday at Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilnnti. Cedar Springs rated 12th position in the event. The title of tlie Class B champion- ship was captured by Dearborn Riv- erside with 77 points. Runner-up was East Grand Rapids with 147, Other top teams were as follows: 3rd-Lansing Waverly 168; 4di-East Christian 172; 3rd-Grand Rapids Rogers 179; 6th-Okemos 209; 7di- Grosse Pointe 220; Sth-Sparta 232; 9th-Harper Woods 233; 10th Vicks- burg 268; llth-Alma 277; 12Lh-Ce- dar Springs 279, Terry Jacht placed in eighth po- sition to be top man for the Spartans. John Davis placed 20tli. Dan Mem- ber 55th, Dave Davis 67th, and Verne Barclay 82nd, The Spartans claimed co-cham- pionship of tlie Tri-River League af- ter placing second to Cedar Springs in tlie dual meets and winning die conference meet. They went on to win die Regional meet at Mt, Pleasant a week ago Saturday to qualify them for the state meet. Don Worm has been coach of die Spartan harriers for the past five seasons during which time they have earned two Tri-River championships and diree co-cham- pionships. —o- Santa Claus to Arrive In Sparta on December 4 Santa Claus will open his annual series of pre-Christmas visits to Sparta with a parade on Saturday, December 4. according to die Sparta Chamber of Commerce. Stores will remain open evenings and Thursday afternoons through Christmas start- ing December 10. ^ • Sparta GOP Women The Sparta Woman's Republican Club will meet at 9:45 a.m.'1 uesday, November 16, at the home of M r s . Ivar Johnson, 58 Orchard Drive, Election of officers will be fol- lowed by a film "Basic Republican < Continued on page 2)