1978 MMA Won't Play In State Tourney

HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) - In 13 years of athletic competition no one ever complained about Marine Military Academy's use of "preps" - until the Leathernecks recently won the state private school football title.

Now, with the MMA Basketball team having completed a 22-1 season, Texas Association of Private Schools (TAPS) members have forced the 'Necks to stay home during this weekend's state playoffs in Dallas.

The preps are students that completed high school elsewhere and came here to earn credits needed to enter the U.S. Naval Academy.  The basketball team has four preps, according to Coach Ken Green.  The football team had six.

Officials of TAPS, a loose confederation of about 45 private schools, invited MMA to the state playoffs.  But the Harlingen military school would have had to leave its preps - including its top scorer - at home.

"We talked about it but it wouldn't be fair to go up there without them.  They carried us this far," a disappointed Green said.

TAPS spokesman Hugh Seale of Bryan acknowledged that TAPS has no rule barring preps from competition.  In fact, TAPS has no rules at all.

But Seale said no rule was needed.

"It was based on the fact that we wouldn't have had the playoffs.  I'd rather sacrifice one team than the tournament," Seale said.

Rpresentatives from TAPS schools will be in Dallas during the tournament to draft a constitution.  The rules, Seale speculated, will include a ban on prep players and overage athletics.

Mike Beane, athletic director at tournament host Trinity Christian, said complaints about the MMA preps began coming in after the gridiron season.  Trinity Christian dropped a 35-6 football playoff game to the Leathernecks.

"We enjoyed the competition but felt it was unfair for our undergraduates to play them," Beane said.

Green said he understood the rival coaches' concerns.  What he doesn't understand is why no one complained last year when his team compiled an 8-10 record.

Seale thinks he knows why.

"No one will holler at you when you are losing," he said.

Beane said MMA would be replaced in the playoffs by Evangel Temple of Grand Prairie.  Garland Christian, Dallas Christian and Abilene Christian High School also have been invited.

Source:  McAllen The Monitor, Friday, February 17, 1978, Page 17