1966- State semi-finalist. One of RHS’s best teams with a season record of 30-9. The loss in the State broke an 18 game win streak.
1963- This same team was the junior high school State champion. They defeated the host team Mt.Home, then Watson Chapel, and St.Joe . Their season record was 26-7.
This team averaged 30 wins per season in 1964-65-66.
1966 RECTOR BLACKCATS VARSITY ROSTER
SENIOR STARTERS FIRST SUBS MANAGERS COACHES
PHIL CLAYTON …. SR. RADIUS BAKER ….. SR. SAM COSSEY JESS BUCY (HEAD)
DENNIS CATE …. SR. CARROL CLAYTON … SOPH RONNIE STAHL ROBERT RUDI (ASST.)
RICKY GATEWOOD … SR. JOHNNY MACK ……JR. JESSE STAFFORD
TED GLAUB …. SR. TOM PRUETT ….. SR.
ALLAN PRUETT …. SR. ODELL ROGERS ….. SR.
In 1966 Blackcats won the County and District championships.
The 1964 Blackcats were the State semi-finalist and again in 1965 they were also State finalists and runnerup champions. In 1966 they were State semifinalists.
1966 State championship run was as follows:
GAME 1 – RHS. vs. EMERSON WON 66 - 56
GAME 2- RHS vs. BAY WON 68 – 51
GAME 3- RHS vs. FT.SMITH - ST. ANNES LOST 53- 48
1966 season honors by RHS players:
Allan Pruett was selected as All-Midsouth, All-State, and the All-American top ten.
Dennis Cate was selected as All-State.
Jamie Wallace of the Jonesboro Sun stated about Rector’s team: “They are an unselfish lot and recognize the talent of their teamwork. They play good defense and make few mistakes. They also shoot the ball extremely well”.
Regarding the game with Bay, in the State tourney, Jerry McConnell of the “Arkansas Gazette” wrote: “The Rector Blackcats put together a near perfect first half and drubbed an old tormenter, Bay’s Yellow Jackets 68-51. This was never a contest. The Cats rebounds were a 19-5 edge. Plus they hit 15 of 25 shots from the field, and with only one turnover.”