Jim Chase

(Photo courtesy of Dale Martin)

Jim earned 13 varsity letters, four in tennis, three in track and two each in basketball, football and

baseball.

In basketball he led the Rams in scoring and rebounding as a junior and senior. He was the leading

scorer (19.8 points per game) and rebounder in the KVA his senior year and was named to the All-

KVA first team and named its honorary captain.

He was named to the All-KVA Football Team twice, in 1959 and 1960. He holds all of the receiving

records for an 8 game season and ranks in the top three in all receiving statistics for a career. He

was named to the 1960 All-State team as an end.

Jim played singles for 4 KVA Championship teams. Twice he qualified for the State Tournament

reaching the semi-finals both times.

Jim set three school track records his senior year. His mark of 20’6” in the Long Jump stood for

over 20 years. Using the scissors kick he soared 6’2”, a mark that lasted for 26 years. His time of

15.6 seconds in the 110 High Hurdles wasn’t broken until last year, a span of 51 years. He earned

All-State honors in track for the 1961 season.

Bob Adkins

(Photo courtesy of Dale Martin)

Bob earned 11 varsity letters, four each in tennis and track, two in basketball and 1 in football.

Bob missed three years of football due to a concussion suffered as a freshman. In his only season

he played defensive back for Coach Maskill. Bob intercepted 5 passes and allowed only 5 passes to

be completed in his territory for the entire season.

In basketball Bob excelled due to his quickness and confidence. He was relentless when defending

and seldom missed a shot taken. Bob ran the offense for Coach Bob Morgan. He was team captain

and MVP on the 1971-72 District Championship team.

On the track team Bob concentrated on the long distance events. As a senior he turned his

attention to the shorter distances, the ½ mile(880 run). He placed third in the Regionals and

anchored the mile relay team that placed in the State Meet. His best time of 2:01.7 is still a school

record after 40 years.

Bob played singles and doubles on the Rams tennis team. His career record was 95 wins and 7

losses (5 of those losses were to teammates). He was the KVA doubles champion in 1970 and 71

and the singles champion in 1972. He was Regional doubles champion twice in1970 and 1971 and

doubles runner-up twice in 1969 and 1972. He was the State doubles champion in 1971 and 1972

and the State runner-up in 1969 and 1970.

Vickie Born DeLeon

(Photo Courtesy of Dale Martin)

Vickie earned 14 varsity letters with four each in basketball, volleyball and softball and 2 in track.

As a sophomore she set the school record in the shot put with a toss of 32’10”.

Vickie was an All-KVA performer in basketball in 1978, 79 and 80. She ended her career with 975

points and over 600 rebounds. The Rams were co-champions twice during Vickie’s career and she

was the team’s MVP twice.

She won All-KVA honors in volleyball 4 times. Any ball close to the net would be met with one of

her thundering spikes.

Vickie was chosen as the All-KVA catcher in softball three times, 1979, 80 and 81. Her career

batting average was an amazing .879. In four years she was struck out only once. With runners in

scoring position and Vickie at bat she would almost always get the intentional walk.

In college Vickie was an All-conference performer for the Southwest Michigan C.C. basketball team

in 1983.

Vickie has been very active as a coach at G-A. She’s coached the varsity softball team, the middle

school basketball team, the junior varsity basketball team and served as assistant to her brother

Tim Born on the varsity basketball team. The 2008 team made it to the Class C State Finals.

Rick Tyson

(Photo courtesy of Dale Martin)

Rick earned 6 varsity letters at G-A, four in track and two in football.

Rick rushed for 1321 yards and 18 touchdowns his senior season in football. He helped the Rams

make it to the Silverdome in 1990. On the way the Rams beat three teams all ranked above them

in the state. For his career he ended up with 1767 yards gained, 22 touchdowns and 140 points.

Tyson’s track career started out rather slowly. He decided to give up basketball and joined a winter

track club. Running against the best track athletes in a four state region provided the spark Rick

needed. Concentrating on the 400 m. dash, Rick was undefeated in both his junior and senior

seasons. As a junior he was KVA, Regional and State Champion. His time of 49.6 seconds set a new

G-A record. He duplicated that fete his senior year again winning all three titles and lowering his

school record to 49.1 seconds. That record still stands today.

Rick was a running back at Manchester College. In two years, 1991 and 1992, the school went from

a 3-8 record to an 8 -3 record.

Running track at Manchester he set the school record in the 400m. run at 48.3 in 1993. His times

qualified him for the Nationals in both the 400m. run and 300 m. runs. In that same year Rick was

ranked in the top 20 in the nation in the 400m. run.

1953 Tennis Team

State Class “C-D” Runner-up Team

KVA & Regional Champions

(Photo courtesy of Dale Martin)

The team consisted of Dave Noud, Charlie Ayers, Jim Beadle, Marv Richardson, Jack

Taylor, Marion “Ponch” Rutherford and Coach John Caldwell.

The ’53 tennis team won the third straight KVA league and tournament titles. The

Rams had now won 38 straight league matches without a loss.

In the Regionals the Rams used their strength in doubles competition to win the

team title. Jim Beadle and Dave Noud defeated teammates Marv Richardson and

Ponch Rutherford in the finals in a three set marathon.

Both doubles teams made it to the semi-finals of the State Tournament where they

lost. As a result the team finished as the runner-up to Grand Rapids Lee.

1963 Tennis Team

State Class “C-D” Champions

Regional Runner-up Team

KVA Champions

Back row: Coach Jim Van Zandt, Bill Lemmien, Jim Maxson, Wayne Roelof, Glynn Grady, Dan Austin, Dana Frye, Fred

Mills. Middle row: Greg Townsend, Ray Adams, Dan Stewart, Ron Jenner. Front row: Jack Campbell, Dave Wilson, Jeff

Jennings, Mike Pierman.

In the KVA the Rams claimed their 13th straight League and tournament championship. In the finals

it was all G-A. Mike Pierman beat Fred Mills in the singles final and Jack Campbell and Dave Wilson

beat Dan Austin and Jim Maxson to win the doubles competition. The Rams piled up 18 points to

runner-up Parchments 6.

In the Class C Regionals G-A was tied with St. Augustine with the doubles finals deciding the

championship. Austin and Maxson lost to Kibby and McGuire in a three set match, 6-2, 3-6 and 10-

8. The Rams, defending State champions, would have only one doubles team going into state

competition.

In the State Tournament both East Jordan and St. Augustine would have two singles and two

doubles teams. Add in a strong Grosse Pointe team and the Rams seemed to have little chance of

repeating as champion. As the competition unfolded, the other schools took turns upsetting one

another. Meanwhile, Austin and Maxson took the opportunity presented them. Playing their best

tennis of the season, they rolled to easy wins in their first two rounds of play. In the finals they

met Portenga and Wright of Grosse Pointe with the winner claiming the championship. They lost

the first set 5-7 and won the second set 6-1. In the final set they outlasted their opponent 10-8 to

give G-A its second straight State Class “C-D” title.

1970 Football Team

State Class “C” Champions

Back Row: Coach Livingston, Todd Blake, Jim Chapin, Bob Hinson, Mike Bolton, Tom Guthrie,

Randy Roth, Gary Tolmacs, Vern Eldridge, Mgr. Jeff French, Coach Martin. Third Row: Coach

McGinnis, Mike Cutler, Mike Chapin, Dennis Bresson, Rick Tupper, Dennis O’Leary, Dennis

Stringham, Dave Simon, Coach Forrester, Coach Maskill. Second Row: Mgr. Howes, Coach

VanZandt, Carl Chase, Dan Overkamp, Tim Von Eitzen, Ron Curry, Jim Blake, Rick Lindsay, Coach

Cox, Coach Sullivan. Front Row: Mgr. Daniels, Steve Pearce, John Ranes, Kevin Ostlund, Barry

Noora, Dan Thomes, Coach Morgan.

The 1970 Rams won the Class C State Championship with a perfect 9-0 record. The

offense scored 408 points (45 per game), a school record while the defense held

their opponents to 32 points (3.5 per game). G-A averaged 427 yards per game and

gave up only 71 yards per game. The defense recorded 6 shutouts in 9 games. For G-

A it was their 4th State title in 9 years, the 9th KVA title in 12 years and 5th undefeated

team in 12 years.