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Show Vikes Hatch faces First Defensive Challenge It's two weeks before the opening game of the,high school football season, and Warren Hatch, the first-yecoach at Viewmont, is already facing an op-- i posing defense. I This defense is not aligned in a 2 4 or any other formation that can ; or I be dismantled using sweeps, draws or passes to the sideline as tools. No, the defense Hatch is facing is so good it may keep the Vikings off their ; home field this year. You see, there is a ; mound of gravel and dirt along the east sideline of the field, looking more for-- . 5 midable than a and en-- I croaching on the field about five yards. The mound traces its origin to the ; flooding in South Davis County two . months ago. It was used to channel I flood water from Stone Creek at the I edge of the Viewmont campus, down ; the east side of the track, and into an ; adjacent field. The south end zone of the field was covered with mud, and the track well, district officials use words like mess and devastated to describe that. The school district and the city have been meeting to decide what to do with Stone Creek. One option would be to confinue to run. the creek under the football field, risking the same damage to the field, or to divert the creek around the field. But July 4, the 24th and Aug. have passed, and the mound of gravel and sandbags remain. It may be the Viking football team that will have to do the ; : ar 5-- 4-- 1 1 third-and-2- moving. Viewmonts home game may be played at either Woods Cross or Bountiful, depending on who the Vikes are playing and which field is available. It was all Hatch needed. There he was, trying to establish his own program, organize coaches, players and practices, when a creek, which had flowed under the field for years without a problem until he took the job, came plugged and floaded the field. Its almost enough to make a man wonder and if hes cursed. "Any time you come into a new program, there are a million administrative things to do," Hatch said. Another added burden I didnt need. . ! be- But don't think Hatch is throwing his hands up in the airin frustration, crying to the whole honest world that he and the rest of the Vikings have been treated unjustly by; 1) the school district 2) the city or 3) nature. Hatch has a write-i- n answer: 4. none of the above. Everyone is doing what they think is best. The district can only move so fast. But Hatch and school officials admit they dont know which way the restoration of the field and the track are moving. In early summer, Hatch was told the field would be ready. Last Thursday he was told the field wouldnt be ready. On Friday he was told the district would be removed in time for the home opener against Skyline on Sept. 9,. and could be played on until after the homecoming game against Woods Cross on Sept. 26 when repairs would Right now were in a state of not ' ; knowing what will happen." - If repairs are not made in time, and the mound of dirt is allowed to stand along the east sideline, Viewmont will play all nine of its games on the road, and that has to concern Hatch. He is primarly concerned about the effects playing away from home would have on his team. Its been somewhat of a let down, Hatch said, referring to his players. The thought of playing games on the road is discouraging. I hope it doesnt have too much of an affect on my playsaid. , ers. If the Vikings are to play at home, and chances are becoming slimmer with each passing working day that they will, the district has until Sept. 9 to make the field playable. By then, it will be too late to plant sod, and Viewmont will be playing ala dirt. But at least it will be their own dirt. begin. "There is a lot of speculation, Hatch Page 8A South Edition Lakeside Review Wednesday, August 10, 1983 Devastated Track Reminds Officials of Flood a decision. "Its been there for two months and nobody has done anything, said Viewmont Track Coach Lynn Duboisl. There has been some foot dragging. There is also some concern from Viewmont players and coaches about whether the field will be ready for the football season home opener Sept.9. White said he couldnt predict if the field would be ready by By KENT SOMERS Review Sports Editor The swollen BOUNTIFUL waters that caused the Flood of 83 has subsided, leaving sandbags, mud and pending decisions as reminders of the devastation it caused. Davis County School District officials are facing one of those decisions. Stone Creek, which runs under the Viewmont High School football field, became backed up when the channel was plugged two months ago and the stream water spilled on the field. The water was diverted down the east lanes of the schools track and dumped into a field north of the school. Now, a mound of dirt and sandbags and a deep hole on the north end of track are all that remain of the makeshift channel. According to Dr. John White, an assistant superintendent for the district, two options are now being considered. The district can install new culverts under the field to carry the water, risking future flooding. The second, and most favorable option, is to divert the creek around the school annd through private If we have to go property. field it would be a the through tremendously expensive proposition, said White. What were looking at now is diverting it around the football field. But it has been two months since the damage occurred, and the city and the school district have been accused of dragging their bureaucratic feet in making its been there for two months and nobody has done anything , said Dubois. There ot has been some foot dragging 15-fo- ot Photo by Robert Regan FLOOD WATER .cut a gouge in the north games at neighboring high schools this end of the Viewmont football and track fa- - year because of dirt and sand on the east cility. The Vikings may have to play home, sideline. . that time. Viewmont football coach Warren Hatch said his team would probably play at either Woods Cross or Bountiful if the field were not ready, (see related column). One reason the school district has waited this long to make a decision, said Public Information Officer Bonnie Durrance, is that officials were not sure how much federal disaster assistance money the district would receive. A spokeswoman for Congress- men James Hansen said Monday that the district would receive a total of $301,600 to repair the flood damage in the district. Part of that money will be used to repair the track and fix the Stone Creek problem, said ; Durrance. The football field could be readied for play by moving the dirt on the east side, but sod could not be laid in time for the season, according to James Hill, district physical education and health supervisor. The track is devastated, said Hill. Durrance estimmated it would cost $140,000 to replace the track and Dubois said he hopes the district replaces it instead of trying to patch it. I think it would be a real mistake to try and patch that track, Dubois said. Its an old track, the oldest in the district. White said he couldnt estimate the total cost of the repair project because engineering studies and land acquisitions must be made before the water is diverted. Durrance said upwards of $50,000, of the federal assistance money would go toward the cost of repairing the field and diverting the creek. The creek is again running under the field, carried by a sinngle culvert. My understanding is that culvert is not in the best of shape, said Bountiful City Manager. Tom Hardy. He said the city has no problems with the school districts plan to divert the creek. Dubois estimated it would take approximately two months of good weather to install a new track. Meanwhile, Dubois said, y season is the starting, and a big part of that program is track work. cross-countr- Innovative Bowling Ball Manufactured Locally pins. The inventor of the ball, John Fabanitch, took out a patent on the design which would By BARRY KAWA Review Staff face any manufacturer producing a ball with more than a 'h inch shell to pay royalties to him. In these CLEARFIELD days of oversize tennis racquets and metal golf woods, it seems every sport has equipment that is revolutionizing the game. Bowling is a sport that over the years has resisted such changes. Plastic and polyester balls have come along, but when it comes to scoring, everything has remained the same. ' , ' But now, Faball Enterprises of Utah, Inc. is manufacturing a bowling ball that is on a roll on the Professional Bowlers Tour. Just ask Professional Bowlers Association stars Marshall Holman, or Tommy Hudson or Mark Roth. Holman won the Aqua-Fetourney in Austin, ll Texas last week using the affectionately nicknamed the Hammer. st Fab-ba- interview Holman praised the durability of the Hammer, saying it was the first tournament hes ever used only one ball to bowl with. Ron Hart, president of Faball and a Layton resident, estimates up to 80 percent of the pro bowlers on tour currently use his companys ball. In a post-gam- Fabanitch started producing the ball in limited quanities in a backyard shop in St. Louis in 1974. Hall of Famer Don Johnson was the first user of the Hammer on the pro-tothat year. After years of further research and limited production, the Faball company leased the manufacturing and distribution rights to a group of local investors. part-own- er ball. Hart said tests conducted at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Baldwin-Wal-lac- e indicated that this combination resulted in greater impact enerav when the ball hit the One local user of the hammer is PBA pro Steve Buell owner of Bowl of Steve, Buells Pro-ANorth Salt Lake. It gives me a better margin of carry, Buell said. It doesnt deflect as much when it hits the pocket. For a m righthanded bowler, that means they wont leave as many s. ur . ; Other owners include Roy resi- dents Dave Hardy and Ray Woolsey, Glen Everly of Clear- field and Layton resident Keith Orton. The company has about 18 workers in the Freeport plant who produce approximately 200 balls a day. e The ball hits the pins like a Ken said Whiting of Roy who operates the Lakeside Lanes in Clearfield. The secret of the urethane ball is a heavy, dense core and a 15 thick comthicker shell Vs in a to conventional pared tank, advertising budget, wed have to attach the costs to the price of each ball, big . Buell said his shop carries al- most every line of bowling ball made, but he prefers the Hammer over everything else. Ive wondered for years why the average bowler wouldnt get the best piece of equipment possible, said Hart. He said an average bowler carrying the on a light pocket hit and can gain as leaving less much as 30 pins a game using in the ball. The ball can be bounced almost like a basketball and be dropped hundreds of times on a concrete floor without breaking. The urethane material allows the ball to be stored in a hot or cold car trunk without fear of crack- Whiting disagreed with Harts n estimation, but feels a 0 bowler in the rainge could raise his average about 10 pins by striking more with the Hammer.' ing. Disadvantages to' the Hammer are cost and availability. A ure-tha- n Hart, said his company' is about two months and will start producing another 100 balls a day in the next month to meet the growing demand. The company is unusual because no advertising is used to sell the balls, and the pros are paid to use it on the tour. back-order- ed 30-pi- 140-16- bowling ball can be compared to a graphite golf club or tennis racquet for top of the line prices. A Hammer sells locally for about $75-8- 5 and is competitive with other companies urethane balls. For . buyers, the ball can run over $100 with We haven't had to do any adshipping costs. The price is convertising because were finding k siderable when- a word of mouth is more than sufficient, said Whiting. Its ex- - 'bowler realizes a department treniely well represented by the store special can be found for as various oros using it. If we had a little as $20. out-of-sta- te - once-a-wee- Staff photo by Rodnoy Wright AN EMPLOYEE of the Faball Company of pany produces approximately 200 balls a uses a lathe to round day by a strict, hand-mad- e Center the Freeport process, ball to exact the specifications. The com- ' ' Fortunately for county resi- dents, local proshops keep an abundant supply on hand. In other areas, bowlers must often travel to a well stocked proshop in a major city to procure one. ' . After seeing such PBA luminar- ies as Gary Dickenson or Wayne Webb using one on TV, bowlers in other cities are unhappy about being put on a waiting list to buy one. , .v . The company has not made definite plans for the future but the owners feel the smaller plant e and production line of the plant keeps the quality of the ball better than most. hand-mad- V |