The Oakdale Express Vol. 2 No. 2
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Former Athletes Recall
High School Games and Coaches
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Robin Coffman Arrowood
Lawndale, North Carolina
Class of 1986
Baskbetball
My freshman year in Basketball, the Varsity team took us all the way to the State Tournament*. I was so
amazed. That was the biggest gym that I ever recall being in at that time. The girls tried so hard, but was not
able to pull it off. I was still very proud. And to you new guys, you just have played ball, until you played in the
**CHECKS***, that checker board pattern, is still very vivid in my mind. Good Luck Lady Eagles in the upcoming
years. GO LADY EAGLES
The Only Coach that every mattered was Fred Snow. He wasn't just a coach, he was our friend, our surrogate
father, our bodyguards, our inspiration, our drive and determination. He listened, taught, and tried to send all
us girls in the right direction. He's a great coach. He was our Dear Abby when needed. From the basketball
camps to the afternoon practices, these are the memories that I cherish the most - singing on the bus on those
away games, and wearing the matching sweaters. I miss the team also - Kim Johnson, Lisa Clinton, Michelle
Coffman, and the others. Between Fred Snow and the rest of my team, they made High School one of the best
times in my life. And again Fred Thank You for the guidance, trust, and the standards, that I use on a daily
basis in my life. GO LADY EAGLES!!!
*Editor's Note: I believe Robin is referring to the regional tournament at Morristown West in 1983 since Oakdale Lady Eagles have only played in
Murfreesboro once in recent times and that was in 1990.
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Gary Howard
Oakdale, Tennessee
Class of 1969
Basketball, Football
I played basketball 4 years, 65-66, 66-67, 67-68, 68-69. I averaged 10 points per game as a freshman, 8
points as a Sophomore, 14 points as a Junior, and 16 points as a Senior year. We never won a game my
freshman year (65-66), the closest we came was 52-50 - I think against Friendville Academy.
I played football my Senior year (68-69). We went 6 wins- 4 losses. This was the year that David Goins was 5th
in the state in scoring.
My Junior year (67-68), we beat Wartburg at home 58-38. Wartburg's record that year was 17-4, and they won
the district 8 tournament that year. We pinned one of those 4 losses on them. My Senior year, the football team
beat McMinnville, a team that was rated very high in the state that year.
My Junior year (67-68) when we beat Wartburg 58-38 at home, that put us and Wartburg in a tie with them in
Morgan County if we could beat Coalfield at the end of the season. It was on a Tuesday night (I think) at
Coalfield toward the end of the season that we played that game. Wartburg had an off night with no game
scheduled, and (you guessed it) half of the Wartburg boys team showed up to cheer on Coalfield. We were a
couple of points ahead with less than a minute to go when the clock went haywire and went off. This was not the
only time this happened. At approximately the same time of the game, it happened exactly the same way my
Senior year (I think someone knew how to short-circuit the clock when the home team was behind). Hollis Eble
said there was less than a minute left. The Coalfield coach argued for more time. The officials set it at two
minutes.
Coalfield caught up and went ahead. We were behind 48-50 with about a minute to go, and Coalfield had the
ball. I remember that Coalfield's star player shot a 20-25 foot shot from the right side trying to ice the game (to
this day I believe he should have held the ball to make us foul him). The ball came off the rim to me, and I fired
it up to a fast-breaking David Goins who got it to Bruce Cochran breaking down the court. Bruce tied the game.
Coalfield's star player did the very same thing again (he shot the ball from the same spot). I rebounded it again,
threw it to David Goins exactly the same way again. As I did I saw the old clock face turn back white (those old
clocks would turn red beginning the last minute and turn back white with five seconds remaining). In a tie game,
David got within fifteen feet of the basket before being stopped and covered. I had just crossed the half-line and
remember David looking back, then here came the ball. Everything was a blur for the next few seconds, but I
remember seeing the ball go through the net as the horn sounded to end the game.
As for coaches, Hollis Eble was like a second father to me in high school.
One miscellaneous thing, my family was originally from Lancing and Pilot Mountain. My brother Greg and I went
to Oakdale School through twelve grades. I had always been proud of Oakdale but sometimes felt like an
outsider when people would talk about Oakdale history. Several years ago, I came into possession of the old
Howard family bible. The first name in the genealogy was Allen Honeycutt. In the history of Oakdale, the
children of Allen Honeycutt are listed, but my ancestor is omitted. According to my family bible, the oldest child
was Elizabeth who married Lewis S.C. Howard. Lewis Howard even makes reference to visiting Allen Honeycutt
in his Civil War journal. Now, I feel a deeper connection to Oakdale.
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Matt Headden
Oliver Springs, Tennessee
Class of 1990
Football, Basketball, Baseball, Cheerleading
The memories of playing sports at Oakdale are a treasure that I cherish and like to share with the players I'm
coaching now. Of course there are some memories that can not be shared in public, and then there are the
ones that we would like to forget. One in particular that I would like to forget is the night (Friday, October 13)
that I blew my knee out on the first play from scrimmage.
Probably the one moment in football I will never forget occurred during my senior year when we were playing
Harrison-Chilhowie Baptist Academy. I intercepted a pass around the 50-yard line and immediately took off
down the sideline heading to the end zone. I kept telling myself if I got to the corner, then I'd score. Well, I got
to the corner and was tackled as I went into the end zone. As I was celebrating my first ever TD, I looked back
down field and saw that little yellow flag lying on the ground and the officials calling for the ball.
I will never forget playing in the district championship game in basketball at Coalfield. That gym was packed - it
was standing room only all the way around the court.
Now I guess the one thing that really stands out for me is the girls’ basketball team going to the state
tournament in 1990. We did not have regular cheerleaders that year, and during an impromptu pep rally our
principal, Paul Scarbrough, called me and seven other guys out on the floor to lead cheers. We found some old
uniforms and dressed up as cheerleaders for the regional finals. We led cheers during the sub-state game and
even carried Fred off the court in victory. Darlene Headrick agreed to be our “coach” so we could be admitted
to the state tournament as the official squad from the school. Our girl’s team was the hit on the court, but our
ragtag squad of cheerleaders wearing football jerseys and cheerleading skirts with red spandex shorts under
them, we were the talk of the state tournament. Ronnie Carter, president of the TSSAA, had to have his picture
made with us. Our pictures were on the front pages of several newspapers, and we were interviewed on the
local Nashville TV stations.
Out of all the teams that we played throughout the years, the one school that was always fun to play and beat
was Oliver Springs. During my 13-year teaching career at Oliver Springs High School, I have always loved
talking about playing ball against the guys who are parents to the students that I coach. Some of these guys
that I didn't like in high school have actually become very good friends.
Being a high school coach, I realize how much impact coaches have on the lives of their players. It always make
me feel great when a former player comes up and thanks me for being his/her coach. I guess the coach that
stands out more that the others from my own high school days is David Stevens. Coach Stevens was my
baseball coach from 8th grade through my sophomore year, and he was also my football coach from my
sophomore through my senior year. David continues to be a close friend today. I can remember him chewing
my rear off one minute and congratulating me the next.
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Greg Howard
Harriman, Tennessee
Class of 1976
Basketball (4 years)
There are many memories but 2 games especially stand out for me. My junior year, we were playing Coalfield a
couple of weeks before Christmas. Since they were one of our arch rivals from elementary school through high
school, this was always a big game. This game stands out because it was close from start to finish. I managed
to hit a lay-up in the waning seconds to put it in overtime. Not only did we play OT, but it went into a second OT.
We came out with the victory, and while a lot of memories have faded, I can remember getting 17 points that
night.
Another game that stands out is my senior year we played Rockwood. We hadn't beaten Rockwood in so long
that no body could remember the last time. Well, this again stood out as a special game because I remember
hitting 5 out of 8 foul shots in the last 3 minutes of the game that assisted in the win (never mind the 3 I
missed...). We ended up winning the game. A week later, Harriman played Rockwood in basketball, and
Rockwood had beaten Harriman like 34 - 0 in football earlier in the year. The Rockwood students stood and
chanted to Harriman, "34 to 0". The Harriman crowd stood and chanted back "Oakdale". If memory serves me
correctly, Rockwood had a very good team that year and went all the way to play in the early rounds of the state
tournament.
While we were not that good compared to other teams, both of these stood out as special memories!
As for coaches, Hollis Eble taught me a valuable lesson about not forgetting my wallet my Freshman Year at
Spring City.
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Donald R. Solomon
Flower Mound, Texas
Class of 1955
Football, Basketball, Track
It was the year that we played our greatest rival, Wartburg in football on the Coalfield football field, because we
did not have a field suitable for our home games. I was playing linebacker, and it was just before the half ended
when the fullback from Wartburg came plowing through the middle of the line and ran over me like a freight
train! I remember being carried off the field, nose bleeding. Later, I was taken to the hospital in Harriman and
learned that I had a broken nose! One or both of my eyes were black, as well.
The next day, my teachers felt so sorry for me that I was sentenced to stay in the home ec. room with a beef
steak over my eyes and nose! It was a rough day with all the girls, who were taking home ec., pawing over me
and wanting to care for my every need! As you can tell, it was a memorable day day for me, because I still see
the faces of so many young ladies looking over me with that, "Oh, I am so sorry for you, does it hurt badly?"
The end of the story came several months later while I was in technical school in the Air Force down at Biloxi,
Mississippi, and lo, and behold, this guy came up to me and said, "Aren't you Don Solomon who played football
for Oakdale High School?" He followed up by saying, "Well, I'm the football player from Wartburg High School
who hit you during our play-off game and sent you to the Hospital! I am really sorry that happened!" Instead of
feeling ill toward him, we became best of friends while we were together at that base! Until this day, I can't
remember if we beat Wartburg that year or not. Maybe Paul Scarbrough, Don Kittrell, or Billy Ray Ferguson will
remember and also remember the player's name that ran right over me! Oh, to relive those days over, knowing
what I know now!
My favorite coach was Hollis Eble, and the only football coach that I had since I was only able to play my junior
and senior years at Oakdale. I thought he was tough then, but now I know that he was only trying to make
winners out of us! His lovely wife was my favorite teacher - she had me expelled from typing class one day for
talking too much! My wife of 48 wonderful years and the mother of my two beautiful daughters (who have
brought us five beautiful grandchildren) wishes that Mrs. Eble had been more successful in teaching me not to
talk too much!
P.S. - I envy some of my close friends who have been able to stay around the place that I dearly love and get
together as often as they do! I miss you guys - Felix Ooten, Paul Scarbrough, Billy Ray Ferguson, and Don
Kittrell! Jo Ann and I manage a large Retirement Community just Northwest of Dallas Texas, and we have three
guest rooms. You are welcome to visit us anytime. Give us a call at 972-345-2166, or email me:
dsolomon2412@yahoo.com
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Jeanie Summers Bingham
Oakdale, Tennessee
Class of 1963
Basketball
I played basketball 6th grade through12th. I played in one game in 6th, several games in 7th and was a starter
in 8th. Back then, you had to EARN a place on the starting team. In high school, I played a little my freshman
and sophomore years. I was a starter my junior and senior years. Of course, we played half court basketball at
the time. I played defense all those years, and I made what was called all conference my senior year and was
awarded the girl athletic award at graduation.
I loved basketball a lot. It was more important to me than almost anything back then even though I was involved
with singing, plays and all that. Basketball was serious business. One time my hair had grown fairly long, and I
fooled with it a lot on the court. Hollis told Mrs. Eble ( Bessie, as I now feel I can call her that), that if I didn't quit
messing with my hair, I wasn't going to be playing. Bessie told me what he said, and I had my hair cut.
Also, on Senior picture day, we had practice 1st period, and I was the only senior girl who practiced that day.
The others didn't want to mess up their hair before senior pictures. Anyway, I loved basketball, and I will always
remember Hollis saying constantly, "...can't never can do anything. Don't say I can't."
P.S. - If you youngins want to know what half court basketball is, ask and I will tell you.
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Jimmy Sloan
Jackson, AL
Class of 1951
Football manager
I purchased a 1938 Willies car for $35 dollars in my sophomore year. It was known as the "Tater Bug". It had
brakes on the left rear wheel only and one window in the left rear door. I could not roll the top back but could
take the front doors off in the summer time - a convertable of sorts. I remember a time when the Eagles’ football
team was to play at Williamsburg, Kentucky, and a group of us wanted to see the game. I said that we would
attempt to go in the Tater Bug. I told them that if it broke down, we would leave it on the side of the road and
head for home. We made the trip up in time to see the game and started back just prior to nightfall. We were
making good time until we got to Oneida and the lights went out (not an offense worthy of abandoment!!). It
took a greater amount of time to make the trip back but we did make it back to Oakdale that night. I drove the
Tater Bug for three accident-free years and sold it for $35.
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