Leadership & Athletics

Senior Richard Wright, Junior Kevin Strange, and freshman Graham Watson all contributed to Davidson second straight eight win season. The eight wins ties the school record that last year's team set. The Wildcats played against tougher I-AA teams this year, and will play an even tougher schedule next year. Strange made the biggest impact. Starting all eleven games at outside linebacker, he recorded 82 tackles, good for third on the team; registered 3.5 sacks; and picked off five passes. Wright started two games at tight end and played on five special teams, while freshman quarterback Watson played in three games. In the fall Strange will return to a defense that losses only three seniors, and Watson will compete for the starting signal caller spot.

KAs continue to excel on the soccer field. Junior captain Dave Buehler, sophomores Paul Watson, Jon Tetirick, Derek and Jeremy Kilburn, Ian Nelson, Justin Saunders, and freshmen Kevin Dexter, Soren Johnson, and Lewis Faulk all contributed this past fall. Buehler won team MVP honors and earned a spot on the all-conference team. Johnson, who stepped in as a freshman to start in goal was honored as the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. At striker Watson contributed six goals and fourteen points, while Tetirick and both the Kilburns each scored two goals on the season. Each player will make a valuable contribution in the fall.

Across from the house on the tennis courts, senior co-captains Brett Ialacci (#1) and Alex Okulski (#3) team up with fellow senior Travis Pritchett, Juniors Billy Boykin (#4) and Whit Hansen (#2), Sophomore David Webb (#3 doubles), and freshman Matt Peters to lead the Wildcats towards another Southern Conference Championship. Faculty Advisor Jeff Frank looks for his 28th straight winning season. Along with the top four spots, KA brothers make up five of the six doubles players. Ialacci and Okulski play the top spot, Hansen and Boykin play in the second slot, and David Webb plays the third spot.

Senior Co-Captain, and former Number I, Bo Bickerstaff wrestled 197 this year. Juniors Dan Carman, 133, and Justin Perkinson, 174, also competed for the Wildcat grapplers. Perkinson missed most of the year with an injury, but will return next fall. And after taking third in the Southern Conference at 125 in 1999, Carman, the new Number II, will compete for the conference title next year. Both Bickerstaff and Carman placed in some tounaments in the latter part of the season.\par \par Sophomore Oliver Cross leads the Wildcat golfers into what looks to be a break-out year. Sophomore Will Smoak will compete for the top six, while Junior Brian Bartholomay will miss the season while studying abroad.

The new track is already being put to good use. Freshman Greg "Primetime" Schernecke leads the Davidson sprinters. His short stay has already produced two school indoor records in the 40m dash and the 200m dash. He also holds the second and third fastest times for the 55m dash. This spring Primetime will run the 100m, 200m, 400m, 400m intermediate hurdles, 4x400m relay, and long jump.

On the Rugby field, new Number I Craig Laws leads a group that includes Juniors Eric Knoche and Brett Kirkpatrick, Sophomores Nick Grainger and Doug Elkins, and freshman Ben Kettle. Laws, in his third semester has a knack for the offensive side of the game, while Grainger plays tough defense.