THE 1950’S…KENOSHA, FROM BEGINNING TO END…PART 2

There were so many good teams and players in the 1950’s and there were some very good games to choose from. It seems that Kenosha was part of it all.

THE BEST GAME

Kenosha won the conference title in 1950 (8-0-0), 1951 (7-1-0), 1955 (8-0-0),1956 (8-0-0) and 1959 (8-0-0) while placing second in 1952 (7-1-0), 1957 (7-1-0) and 1958 (7-1-0) and third in 1953 (6-2-0). Only 1954 were the Red Devils out of contention with a 5-3-0 season. Yes. I know there was a season-by-season chart in Part 1, but I wanted to show the consistency again. The team had several win streaks of 20+ wins during the decade and one of them ended with an upset loss to Madison West in 1957. Well, that season ending loss really wasn’t an upset, the team just played poorly. Very poorly as the final score was 47-14. The two teams were rated to be even, undefeated with good offenses and defenses, a battle for the conference title. But when you turn the ball over seven times (Four fumbles and three passes intercepted) against the eventual mythical state champion you should expect to lose. The Kenosha fans were dazed by the wide margin of the loss. Kenosha would extract revenge in 1958, winning 20-13.

Now there were several other games to choose from, most notably between Green Bay East and Green Bay West but one game stood out.

It was against Madison East that the best game, in my estimation, also occurred in 1958. The week after the West game, the two teams met in a season ending battle. In the first quarter East scored a touchdown and led 7-0 until early in the fourth period. That’s when Bill Jaskwhich, the coach’s son brought the Red Devils to life. He passed 22-yards to Jack Schultz for a touchdown, but he missed the conversion kick. When east scored with five minutes to go on a26-yard run by a Steve Underwood play. The extra point kick was good, and everyone thought that Kenosha was done. Some fans headed for the parking lot, but the Kenosha spirit was not finished. The Red Devils took the ball on their 40-yard line and pounded out the last 60 in 13 plays. Jaskwhich sneaked over from the two-yard line with one minute, 11-seconds to go. He kicked the extra point and his team trailed 14-13. Kenosha only had one chance to get the ball back and they did on an onsides kick. The play worked, bouncing off of an East player, and Kenosha tackle Tom Dinges recovered.

With 48 seconds to go the Red Devils moved like lightning down the field. Jaskwhich passed 10 yards to end Roger Martin and Joel Morrison ran for 13 yards. Jaskwhich then passed to Carl Bergeron who was knocked out of bounds after a nine-yard gain. With nine seconds to go and the ball on the nine-yard line coach Jaskwhich had to make a decision as what to do. Coach sent in orders to try a field goal. A field goal!! This was an era where even kicking extra point was a novelty for some teams. It had been at least 10-years since Kenosha had tried one. Veteran referee Jerry Gunville later told the Wisconsin State Journal that in 19-years of he hadn’t worked a game with a field goal attempted. The kick by Bill Jaskwhich was good and Kenosha was victorious, 15-14. Coach Jaskwhich said that this was his best team ever, going 7-1-0. They were down at half-time in five of their seven conference games and yet were able to come back and win. Their only loss was to champ Racine Park earlier in the year, 20-7.

THE POLLS BEGIN

As mentioned in the 1940’s blog (“The Greatest Generation begins to Shine “) the press polls began for one season in 1947 with an AP poll but the UPI began their regular season polls started in 1958 and Superior Central was that year #! pick. Kenosha was the top pick in 1959. The AP came back with their polls starting in 1965. While there were no official polls until 1958, Scholastic Coach Magazine listed their top teams beginning in 1950. Those stories helped me form the mythical state champions for the decade.

THE BEST COACH

There were many great coaches during the decade. Most were mentioned in Part 1 as I talked about the best teams. But one stood out amongst the others. It is Chuck Jaskwhich. Surprised? Of course, you aren’t. The most wins in the decade and the most titles. He was an easy choice.

Jaskwhich graduated from Kenosha and played quarterback at Notre Dame for Rnute Rockne. Chuck coached 15 seasons at Kenosha going 89-28-2 there and prior to World War II he coached at New Orleans Holy Cross posting a 28-5-2 record and winning two state titles there. He had stints coaching as an assistant in several colleges and the military as well as being the backfield coach with the professional All-American Football Conference from 1946-48. In 1980 Jaskwhich was named to the Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1980 as part of the initial and largest class of 26 greats to be honored.

Coach Chuck Jaskwhich with quarterback Mario Bonofiglio…1950

THE TOP PLAYERS

Seven Kenosha players made the 17 members of the All-Decade team, and the top player was Alan Ameche. The 100+ coaches and sportswriters who voted for the 1993 Milwaukee Journal Team of the Century named him as the all-time best player and he deserved it.

ALAN AMECHE...1950...KENOSH NEWS

With 16 players on the All-Decade team, I didn’t do an honorable mention list. It would have been quite long but one player I would like to make note of. Albie Le Claire Jr. of Manitowoc Lincoln who in 1957 converted 23 of 24 extra points. Yes, kicking comes up again. “Automatic Albie” did it the old-fashioned way. Drop kick!! Albie played halfback and quarterback for “The Ships”. He did not attempt a field goal.

Well, there you have it. The 1950’s and it was All Kenosha from start to finish.

THE 1950’S…KENOSHA, FROM BEGINNING TO END…PART 1

The decade started with Kenosha high school winning the mythical state title and that’s the way it ended in 1959. There were no polls or playoffs in 1950 but the thought around the state was that the “Red Devils” were the best. Even better than the Green Bay West “Wildcats” or the Wausau “Lumberjacks”.

It doesn’t hurt that Kenosha started the decade with the player named the state’s All-Time Player in the 1993 Milwaukee Journal Team of the Century. That of course was Alan Ameche. He was a great fullback, who would play at the University of Wisconsin and earn the Heisman Trophy. His most famous moment as a professional player was the scoring of the touchdown in the 1958 NFL Championship game to lead his Baltimore Colts to a 23-17 sudden death win. It was labeled as the Greatest NFL Game Ever Played.

Look at that hole his line made for him!!! Photo By Neil Leifer

Kenosha High was the only public high school in town until Tremper High opened in 1964. At that time the school became Mary D. Bradford High School. The 1950’s were BIG for the Red Devils as they produced many All-State and several All-American players as well as four mythical state champions. Kenosha posted a solid 72-9-0 record for the decade. As I alluded earlier, two other schools were very successful, Green Bay West and Wausau, but between them they only won three mythical titles. Compare the three team’s records for the 1950’s:

In a period of time most teams scheduled an eight -game season. Kenosha played. eight games per season in the 1950's. Green Bay West had 80-games scheduled but due to polio outbreaks they only played 75-games.

Wausau was a little different. They played a nine-game season in 1954 but only seven in 1959 as their season finale against Superior was snowed out.

THE TOP 10 TEAMS OF THE 1950’S

Honorable Mention:

1950 was a great year for producing great teams. Two of those teams make the honorable mention list: Milwaukee Marquette was the top Catholic/ Private school in the state going 8-0-0. Another was a team that just missed the top 10. That was tiny Arcadia, a school that went 7-0-0 and was unscored upon while they scored 238 points. The “Raiders” went 20-0-1 between 1949 and 1951. Back Willie Berzinski earned third team all-state and an honorable mention place on the 1993 Milwaukee Journal All-Century Team.

The 1951 mythical state champion Stevens Point squad went 8-0-0. Very good on defense but just an average offensive team. Milwaukee Boy’s Tech defeated all of their City Conference foes in 1952, scoring 249 points and allowing only 39. 1958’s Waukesha team was rated # 2 in the U.P.I. poll to champion Superior Central. (Read more about them in my blog… Waukesha 1943-63 (wihifootball.com)).

Just as 1950 had a number of top teams, so did, as the decade ended, 1959. Making the honorable mention list from that year were: Green Bay West, 8-0-0, who was rated as the #2 team by the U.P.I. Shorewood also went 8-0-0 in 1959 and tied with West in the #2 U.P.I. poll. And, finally, Milwaukee Marquette who posted a 7-0-0 record and again won the state Catholic/Private School

THE TOP 10:

#10…1959 KENOSHA (8-0-0

The “Red Raiders” cruised to an 8-0-0 record. This was the fourth mythical title of the decade for the school and for coach Chuck Jaskwhich who was a Kenosha graduate They piled up327 yards per game and scored 233 points and allowed 64.

#9…1958 SUPERIOR CENTRAL (8-0-0)

Hall of Fame Coach Marv Crowley directed the “Vikings “to the state title. Leading the way on offense was Don VanBibber who was first team all-state after gaining 972 yards on 81 carries (12.0 average) and crossed the goal line 17 times. Six of their opponents were Minnesota teams. [KP1] state title. Leading the way on offense was Don VanBibber who was first team all-state after gaining 972 yards on 81 carries (12.0 average) and he also crossed the goal line 17 times. Six of their opponents were Minnesota teams. state title.

#8…1954 GREEN BAY WEST (8-0-0)

The “Raiders” won the Fox River Valley Conference as well as the 1954 title. This was the the first season as head coach for John Biolo. West went undefeated after losing to Green Bay East in the 1950 season finale. The team went 7-0-1 in 1951, 8-0-0 (State title) in 1952 and 7-0-1 in 1953 and 8-0-0 in 1954. They would go undefeated for 35 consecutive games. In 1955 the team would post a season shortened 4-1-0 record in a year that polio reared its ugly head. They lost to Manitowoc 6-0 in game four to end the streak.

#7…1957 MADISON WEST (8-0-0)

The state champion was led by senior quarterback Jim Bakken. Bakken scored 84 points and five other players made the all-conference first team. They were end Stew Honeck, tackle John Fox, guard Bill Lautz, center Stewart Gordon and back Dick Yates. Most people think of Bakken as a kicker because he was one of the NFL’s all-time greats at that position but in high school, he was also a very good field general who could pass and run. Fred Jacoby was named the Big Eight Conference coach of the year as he led the school to their second conference title in four seasons. It was a battle in 1957 for the conference title as Kenosha placed second after losing to West. The” Regents” beat Madison East in the season finale 26-0 to secure the conference and state mythical title. East would end with a 6-2 mark, losing only to Kenosha and West.

#6…1950 GREEN BAY EAST (8-0-0)

Bob “Toughy” Young was a superb back for East who was one of the first Wisconsin players to be named to an All-America team. He rushed 113 times for 1,153 yards and 19 touchdowns. Coach Al Rudd earned Hall of Fame honors, going 61-45-10 from 1949-60. The team road the back of Young as they only scored 206 points but gave up only 26. This was a truly strong defensive squad and Young contributed as a defensive back. In 1949 the team was 1-6-1 in Reeds first year, but they rebounded and were tough throughout the decade.

#5…1955 KENOSHA (8-0-0)

Alan Ameche in 1950 was nicknamed “The Horse” because of his size. Eddie Hart was given the name “The Pony” because of his smaller stature. Hart broke Ameche’s single season rushing record as he carried the ball only 75 times for 1,033, a 13.8 average and 14 touchdowns. Future honorable mention All-American and two-time All-State quarterback Tom Bonofiglio was a sophomore that season. The team scored 278 points and allowed 88 points.

#4…1953 WAUSAU (8-0-0)

The “Lumberjacks” had a powerful running attack as Robert Severson was named first team all-state and gained 714 yards. Teammate Jim Tremel actually led the team with 838 yards and earned honorable mention along with the teams third running back Ron Kittle. While this was coach Win Brockmeyer’s only mythical title of the 1950’s after earning six in the magical 1940’s

#3…1956 KENOSHA (8-0-0)

Eddie Hart was off to Madison and was replaced by Wayne Cog who gained 669 yards on the ground. Bonofiglio was also back directing the team and after some injuries to several other backfield players, Daniel J. Travanti (Future TV star of NBC’s Hill Street Blues, one of the top TV shows from 1981-87) stepped in and started four games and gained 425 yards and scored 7 touchdowns. Center/linebacker John Gotta earned first team All-America on several different organizational listings…Scholastic Coach magazine and the Wigwam of Oklahoma. This was coach Jaskwhch’s third title of the 1950’s.

#2…1952 GREEN BAY WEST (8-0-0)

In 1951 back Lee Hermsen was all-state after gaining 969 yards on 127 carries and scored 15 times and was named all-state and honorable mention All-America as a junior. He was back in 1952 and carried 114 times for 875 yards and 18 touchdowns. He repeated as an all-stater and was named to Scholastic Coach magazine’s All-America squad. The team only scored 212 points and allowed only 53. Coach Faust I. “Frosty” Ferzacca would coach only one more season at West (1953) and then move on to become head coach at Marquette University and later coach at Northern Michigan University. A member of the WFCA Hall of fame he posted a 54-16-3 record at West. His main assistant, John Biolo took over the program in 1954.

1#...1950 KENOSHA (8-0-0)

Others from that period of time from around the state considered the 1950 Red Devils as having the best team of the decade. And, why not? They dominated seven of their eight opponents as the 14-12 win over a very good Madison East squad was their only close game. Alan Ameche was their star back, but he had a lot of help from end Tom Baatz who caught seven touchdowns, was a great blocker and tackler as a linebacker and defensive end who earned second team all-state. He was named to the Milwaukee Journal’s 100th Anniversary honorable mention team. Baatz later became an executive for the Green Bay Packers. Others who greatly contributed were guard Vic Borowsky, tackle Ed Ronzia, and center Ruel McMillion. Quarterback Mario Bonofiglio was also a second team all -state player who passed for 10 scores, ran for four touchdowns, and kicked 22 extra points. He also handled the punting and kickoff chores.

Let me know your thoughts. More on the best game, coach player and stars of the decade coming soon.

1990…EXORCISING DEMONS

It’s hard to believe but even good or great coaches and their teams have demons. For Fond di Lac St. Mary’s Springs it was the failure to win a WISAA football title in the years 1974-78. During that time, they posted a 40-6 record but in all four seasons they lost in the finals. The feeling was that Springs, most notably their coach, couldn’t win the “big one”.

Bob Hyland and his Ledgers put that assertion to rest in 1983 when they marched through an13-0 season and finally won the title. The next season, 1984, they went 12-1 and again rose to the top, winning their second consecutive title. Five years of frustration for the school was about to appear.

Following a Tuesday night 12-7 win on November 6, 1990, Fond du Lac St. Maty’s Springs coach, Bob Hyland was smiling. He had exorcised the first of several demons that had prevented his teams from becoming WISAA state champions in recent seasons, that making it out of the playoff quarterfinals. But demons were still out there for some fans and reporters to dredge up. Could they win another title and obliterate the other demons?

In 1985 the team went 10-2, failed to win outright (They tied for first) the Fox Valley Christian Conference title and didn’t make it to the state finals as they lost 7-0 in the semi-finals to Milwaukee Marquette who tossed a 61-yard touchdown bomb with just under 10 minutes to go in the game. Springs ended the season with a 10-2 record with a bitter taste in their mouth for several reasons but that is for another blog.

1986 brought mor misery. Entering the semifinal game against Waukesha Catholic Memorial, Springs was ranked #1 in the final WISAA poll. They faced Memorial in the semifinals and were upset 21-7. Memorial would end the year at 9-3, losing to Stevens Point Pacelli the next week in the finals13-3 and St. Mary’s would end 11-1. Grumbling in the community of Fond du Lac was beginning to rise again.

Then, in 1987 Hyland’s team had a nightmare of a game, again against Memorial and after two key first half fumbles that led the Crusaders to two touchdowns, Springs ended up falling 14-13 and finished with a 7-4 record.

In 1988 it was much of the same as Memorial overcame an early Ledger lead and pulled out a 17-14 victory. Springs ended with a 10-1 record. 1989 also had a sad end for the Fond du lac team as they went down 29-6, finishing the season with another loss to Memorial, this time in the finals and ending the year 9-4.

But let’s go back a bit to mention a few more things about Springs vs. Memorial. The rivalry between the two schools started in 1983 when Springs upended the #1 Memorial team 9-2 on their way to the title. The next season, 1984, the Ledgers beat the Crusaders soundly in a 19-7 win. BUT, as I’ve written, the following meetings between the two schools didn’t go well for Springs.

A side note: Springs and Memorial would have met in 1985 if Milwaukee Marquette hadn’t beaten the Waukesha squad the week before the Ledgers. The loss to Marquette prevented Springs from getting revenge for this only other loss that season. Marquette beat Green Bay Premontre the next week in the finals 21-7

The grumblings over the years continued until Bob Hyland seemed to listen to what others were saying. The FVCC was an overall weak conference, and the Ledgers played a soft non-conference schedule. He began to beef up the non-conference schedule and he searched for the best teams available. Take a look at the 1990 schedule:

1990 FOND DU LAC ST. MARY'S SPRINGS 13-0

WISAA STATE CHAMPIONS

COACHED BY BOB HYLAND

26 Wausau East (nc) 6

24 Madison West (nc) 8

34 La Crosse Aquinas (nc) 7

14 Menominee (MI) (nc) 13

44 Kingsford (MI) (no) 22

32 Two Rivers 13

31 Appleton Xavier 3

42 Manitowoc Roncalli 20

34 Fox Valley Lutheran 13

14 Green Bay Notre Dame 3

24 Fox valley Lutheran 10

12 Green Bay Notre Dame 7

27 Waukesha Catholic Memorial 7

354 119

It’s true that Wausau East hasn’t been a strong team for many years and 1990’s squad only went 1-8 but they lost to conference champion Stevens Point in a close game and generally played tough with the other conference teams. Madison West was only a 5-5 team that made the first round of the WIAA playoffs but lost in the first game. Aquinas made the WISAA playoffs and lost in the opening round to finish 6-4. Menominee was a good team that finished 5-4 and just missed the Michigan playoffs. Kingsford made it to the state finals in Michigan and ended with an 11-2 record. Finally, Two Rivers was a tough team going 8-2 in 1989 and 7-3 in 1990.

Despite having only six teams in the Fox Valley Christian Conference three of them made it to the playoffs. In game #9 Springs blew out Fox Valley Lutheran 34-7. The next week Green Bay Notre Dame went down 14-3. Good solid wins but once the playoffs began things got tighter. In the opening round Fox valley Lutheran tied Springs 10-10 after two quarters before they scored 14-points in the third period to pull out a 24-10 win. After that, Hyland was leery about the quarter finals matchup with Notre Dame, hoping that his team would overcome mistakes and knowing that the Tritons would be gunning for them. He also knew that his team might be getting overconfident and for a while his team played very lackluster. Notre Dame scored first and led 7-0 after the first quarter and the Ledgers had to work hard to score once in the second and the third periods to pull out a 12-7 win. The Ledgers had finally made it to the finals, and it was time to exorcise the big demon…Catholic Memorial.

The finals were again a matchup against Catholic Memorial, and there would be a few Ledger turnovers but junior quarterback Rob Hyland, the coach’s son, played a great game. He was 6-13-2-91-1 passing and 24-155-2 leading his team to a 27-7 victory. Rob passed for a touchdown in the first quarter and then added a score on the ground. Kicker Joel Berens kicked two field goals in the second quarter and St. Mary’s led 20-0 at the half. Memorial scored once in the third, but Hyland came back with a rushing touchdown in the fourth to solidify the win. The Ledger defense put pressure on the Crusader passing attack and holding Waukesha to 144 total yards as they gained 319.

The demons were now exercised.

Standing 6’1, 185-pound Rob Hyland was the offensive catalyst to the team. He was 63-134-8-816-5 passing and ran 168-1353-28 + one two-point conversion. A 2nd team All-State player in 1990, Hyland was named the state Player-of the Year and first team All-State as a senior in 1991. Senior running back Dan Koenig played hard, was a key blocker for Hyland and he picked up over 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns on his own. His rushing in the early part of the season was important to the team’s success before Hyland got his game going. The two were part of nine Ledger players to make all-conference. Kicker, senior Joel Berens was another key component kicking 8 of13 field goals and 37 of 39 extra points and earned first team All-FVCC and All-State.

Other stars were center Isaac Mueller, guard Joe Steffen, defensive end Brad Anderson, defensive lineman Kevin O’Leary, linebacker Mike Kelm, defensive back Bob Bennot, all on the first team all-conference squad. Making the second team were offensive tackle Luke Martin, defensive lineman Eric Rebek and linebacker Tony Strobel. Defensive end Jeff Baker was named honorable mention. Hyland was a junior as well as Mueller and Steffen while the rest were seniors. Not blessed with overall big size but with speed and determination as well as good coaching the Ledgers were able to exorcise their demons.

They would be back again to the finals in 1991 erasing any doubts in the fan’s minds and that of the players. The coaches always believed that they, the Ledgers, could overcome obstacles. It was just a matter of execution.