GREAT COACHES WHO SHOULD BE IN THE HOF

I looked at the criteria set up by the WFCA for a coach to be eligible to be nominated and voted into the Wisconsin Football Coaching Hall of Fame.  There are several main points for a person to be considered…Hall of Fame.  Mainly, a coach can be nominated as a head coach, an assistant coach, college coach or a contributor to the football programs in the state of Wisconsin (Media, administrators, trainers, officials, etc.).  A coach must have a minimum 10-years of service in the state.  There are several other points for consideration so look at the above link for more details.

I took a look at a number of coaches who made great contributions, some only for a few seasons and others who make the minimum requirements.  These coaches that meet the criteria for Hall of Fame status:

Irl I. Tubbs…1916-1920…Superior High School…1921-1928 Superior State University

Coach Tubbs 1920 Superior High School Yearbook (The Lacedaemon)

Born in Kentucky, Tubbs attended William Jewel College in Missouri.  He coached two years of high school football in Missouri before moving north to Superior High School in 1916.  His 1918 and 1920 squads were the state champions.  He coached basketball and track as well as football.  Tubbs left Superior High to coach Superior Normal (Superior State then UW-Superior).  Because of bouts of illness, Malta Fever (From consuming unpasteurized milk), he didn’t coach football in 1921 but coached hockey in 1922 before taking over as head football coach in 1923-25 and 1928-29.  He spent ten seasons as a coach in the state before he moved on to coaching at the college level…Miami (FL) and Iowa.  Sadly, the fever caused him to be unavailable to coach on a regular basis after 1938.  What makes him special, besides winning state titles is his innovations in football related gear.  The current needle used to inflate balls (In fact, all sports balls) was his invention.  He also worked on improving head gear, padding, pants and cleats.  He makes the 10-year WFCA rule to be eligible. His two titles and innovations make, in my mind, him a very good candidate for the HOF.

Ralph Fletcher…1914-1927…Delafield St. John’s M.A.

1930 Delafield St. John’s Military Academy Yearbook (The Tattler)

Coach Ralph Fletcher graduated from St. John’s in 1910 after playing right halfback, fullback and quarterback on the football team.  Also starting on the basketball and baseball team’s as well as playing on the fencing, track and crew teams. He left the school having earned 17 letters. He first attended The University of Chicago for a year before transferring to Ohio Northern University before again transferring, this time to the University of Mississippi. He played football at all three schools as. He would put his high school fencing skills to good use as he won a spot on the 1912 Olympic squad in the sword competition. After graduation from Ole Miss, he accepted a teaching position at St. John’s and then the position of head football coach (1914-1927) and athletic director (1914-1952). While coaching football he compiled a 65-25-8 record in 13-seasons and won the 1914 state championship.  Most seasons, unable to get Wisconsin high schools to play his football teams, the Lancers played college varsity teams or their varsity second squads or later, the college freshman squads (30-13-4 record) along with teams from military bases (7-2-1) and even played three games against professional teams (3-0-0).  All with school students age 16-19 playing against older players

He also coached basketball from 1914-1928, earning a 126-46 record with his best team posting a 14-1 record in 1917-1918. He was the baseball coach during this time as well, piling up a 142-52 record. The Fletcher Baseball Field on campus was named for him in 1961. He even found time to coach the track team in 1920.   

Edison Lerch…1930-1942…Delafield St. John’s M.A.

1942 Delafield St. John’s Military Academy Yearbook (The Tattler)

Born in Lima Ohio, Lerch was a star fullback at the academy graduating in 1919. Following his graduation from St. John’s, he went to California and worked in the Universal Studios art department, saved his money and then took a world tour before returning to St. John’s in 1923.  He joined the Marine Reserves while working at St. John’s as a teacher and as an assistant football coach.  As an assistant he coached the 1929 state championship (9-0-0) team as the backfield and the defensive secondary coach.  When the head coaching spot opened up in 1932 Lerch got the job.  He then directed the team to the 1932, 1933 and 1942 state championships over 11-seasons.  He would post a 70-20-2 record before being called by the Marines to serve in a supply distribution capacity (Quartermaster Corps) during World War II.  Having been in the Marine Reserves he was promoted to the rank of major in 1941.  He then would return to the academy and, beginning in 1927, coach the crew team for another 50-years.  Lerch revolutionized the sport of crew with a new and inventive way to row…the “short-lay-back stroke” which today every rowing team world-wide uses. He would serve in many different school capacities.  As a baseball coach, assistant Commandant, Academy Treasurer, Academy President and on the Board of Directors.  He passed away in 1988.  His own three football titles and never having a losing season stands to his great ability as a head coach.

Don Penza…1957-67…Wisconsin Rapids Assumption…1981-88 Woodstock (IL) Marion

Don Penza at Woodstock (IL) Marian 1987 (SHAW LOCAL Newspapers)

Don was born in Kenosha and moved with his family to Racine. He attended Racine St. Catherine and as an end on the Catholic State Champion 1949 team, earning all-state honors.  After graduation he attended Notre Dame where he was the team captain in 1953. Coach Frank Leahy called him “the best team captain I’ve ever had”. Don was listed on the 1953 All-America team and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers. Playing in only two exhibition games, he hurt his knee and was forced to retire. From 1954-56 Don was a first Lieutenant in the Marines and played “service” football while at Quantico.

Following his time in the service Don Penza went on to coach at Wisconsin Rapids Assumption from 1957-1967 where he compiled a 68-18-2 record with five conference championships over 11-seasons. In 1968 he retired at age 35 from coaching to enter politics and was mayor of Wisconsin Rapids until 1978. Returning to coaching in 1981, Penza was hired at Woodstock (IL) Marion Central Catholic and would go on to compile a 90-18 record with three Illinois Class 2A state titles in eight seasons. Marion won the titles in 1983, 1986 and 1987 and was runner-up in 1985.

Don died at age 57 in 1989.  Illinois has a 10-year qualification, like Wisconsin so Don is not eligible in that state but he certainly deserves to be honored in this state.  One of his players at Assumption was Coach Bob Hyland of St. Mary’s Springs.  Bob would agree that Penza greatly influenced him and many others.

There are two others that I think that are HOF caliber coaches.  Check out their recent stories:

DeWayne Johnson…1967-68…New Richmond & Plymouth 1969-78… DEWAYNE JOHNSON…FROM PLYMOUTH AND BEYOND

Dan Thorpe…1982-present…Grafton/Beloit Turner/ Janesville Craig/Others out of state… A RED ROBIN’S GREAT CAREER

These are my HOF nominees, but other people need to help push them to get inducted.  Send in a nomination form to the WFCA.

THE BANQUET

In my story…“THE GIANTS AT MONROE” AND THE 1909 CHASES FOR THE STATE TITLE…PART 2…I mentioned that with the Brewers in the playoffs vs. the Chicago Cubs it was doubtful that I could make it to Ladysmith on Friday, October 10 for the school’s first Hall of Fame induction.  Thanks to a start time change on Saturday I would have time to make it back fine to make my shift after staying overnight in Ladysmith.

From the start of my entering the front door of the high school I was greeted warmly by Dawn Ohlfs.  She somehow recognized me, even before I walked up to the registration table.  I guess she knew everyone who was coming in and I was a stranger.  Dawn told me I needed to hurry to the cafeteria where dinner was to be served.  She directed a student escort to show me the way and quipped that the guide should point out Bob Davis (A HOF inductee) to me.  The young man admitted that he didn’t know who Bob Davis was and I was left in the room of about 150 people to find my way on my own.  I had emailed both Bob Davis and the event coordinator, Kent Ohlfs (Dawn’s husband), that I could make the event after all but they must have failed to check their messages.  Maybe Dawn had read my email but hadn’t told Kent or Bob.  We were given name badges and so I went from table to table in the room checking others badges until I came upon Bob Davis.  He was surprised to meet me.  We had exchanged a number of emails but being there in person made my evening.  We talked a bit.  He introduced me to Terry Berger, a former LHS teammate and long-term friend.  Terry would introduce Bob during the formal induction.  Bob then directed me to Kent Ohlfs.

It was great meeting.  Kent was very busy dealing with many people concerning the nights events.  We talked for a few minutes and then I looked for a table to sit down for the dinner.  I picked the last empty 8-seater.  Within a few minutes two couples found their way to the table…Ken Buh, Merry Reynolds, LeRoy and Judith Opsal.  They were there to celebrate their friends who were being inducted. We exchanged greetings and I had a great time talking with them.  Somehow, I became a person to meet.  My out of town, first time visit to Ladysmith was drawing some attention.  Bill Mestelle, one of the HOF inductees, came over and we talked a bit.  A moment later Luke Klink, editor of the Ladysmith News approached me.  We talked briefly and then Luke took my picture with me holding a copy of my book.

October 16, 2025, Ladysmith News

There were others who came over to talk.  I was amazed of the attention I was getting.  If you read the above caption below the picture, you will see some mistakes.  Word had gotten around that I had driven from Milwaukee and that I worked for the Brewers which is true.  First, I’m not the statistician for the Brewers.  Mr. Klink was told, incorrectly, by someone, who referred to my record books which are located on the WFCA web page.  I told him that I worked for the Brewers.  It was a funny mix-up, to me, when I saw the story in the paper the next Thursday.  I had taken copies of my two blogs on the 1940’s-60’s teams and spread them around the gathering.  The caption said my stories on Ladysmith were in the book, but they are not.  I had the book to give to Bob and Kent plus I brought a few extra’s along.

October 16, 2025, Ladysmith News

Dinner was served and then those being honored were gathered for a group photo before we all went to the school auditorium for the main event presentations.

October 16, 2025, Ladysmith News

The gathering of the inductees in the auditorium went well, even if some introductions or acceptance speeches went longer than expected but it was fun.  The audience enjoyed the ceremony.  The school decided to honor people from the pre-1970’s for their first HOF class.  The Master of Ceremonies was the voice of the Lumberjacks and Lumberjills was Bob Krejcarek.  He introduced Dr. Jason LeMay, the school Superintendent and Kirk Yudes who is LHS’ Athletic Director and acting Principal.  Then Bob began calling up the individuals, one at a time, who would introduce the first members of the HOF.  One by one the inductees were called up, and they gave their acceptance speeches. Dr. LeMay and Mr. Yudes presented the plaques.  The honorees were:

E. L. Jay was a teacher and coach of football and basketball.  He was at LHS from 1924-55.

J.R. “Buck” Morgan played for Coach Jay in the 1920’s as a center on the football team and stared on the basketball team.  He was the first name on Jay’s list when he was asked to list his all-time best players.

Marshall Brown played four sports…football, basketball, track and field and baseball in the late 1940’s-50.  He later coached football in Bay City Texas and was inducted into the Texas High School Hall of Fame as well as Bay City H.S. HOF.

Roger Harring coached 1958-63 and developed many great players during his stay.  He moved on to Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln H.S. and then on to UW-La Crosse where he posted a 261-75-7 record.  He was one of college’s all-time greats.

Bob Davis, class of 1960, was a great back, earning 3^rd team all-state.  Stared while playing basketball and set the school record in track while tossing the shot.

Tom Mestelle, class of 1963, was a fabulous end who set a Heart of the North conference scoring record in 1962 with 126 points.  He also played basketball, track and baseball.  After staring at UW-La Crosse he went on to coach Ashland High School to the 1984 D-2 title and then coached Superior High School to the 1990 D-1 title.  He also coached girls’ basketball and baseball. Tom is a member of the WFCA HOF.

Frank Poquette, 1965, earned 12 letters (4 in football, 4 in basketball, 3 in track and 1 in baseball).  His senior year in football, Frank was the quarterback but also returned kicks, played defensive back and was a receiver, at times.

Bill Mestelle was Tom’s younger brother who stared in football, lettering four years.  Bill led the state in scoring as a junior in 1964 with 174 points in only 8-games and smashed the conference scoring record.  Named to both the A.P. and the U.P.I. first team squads as well as honorable mention Scholastic Coach Magazine All-American.  Injured for part of his senior year, Bill still scored 85 points and again earned all-state and honorable mention all-America honors.  Bill would earn his college degree and retire as the principal of Hayward High School.

Bruce Stewart was a 1966 LHS graduate who earned 12 letters, four each in football, basketball and baseball.  After stops at Spencer H.S. and Mount Senario College he came back to Ladysmith and coached football and track from 1984-2006.  Bruce is a member of the WFCA HOF.

Dick Nerbun, 1967, won letters in basketball and football but is best remembered for his feats in track and field.  Dick set records in the 120-yard-high hurdles (1967 state champion), earned 4^th place at state in the low hurdles and 4^th place in the long jump.  He also set the school record in the high jump.

Following the ceremonial induction I met with many people.  Two nice individuals were Jim Woelfer, Curator of the Rusk County Historical Society.  He was wearing a Chicago Cubs hat but I smilingly told him “I still liked him” as he was a fan of “the enemy”.    As Jim and I briefly talked up came Linda Krejcarek, wife of Bob who was the Master of Ceremonies asked me for a copy of my book.  Saturday was Bob’s birthday and she wanted one for a gift to give him.  Several others approached me, thanked me for coming and wishing me a safe trip back to Milwaukee.  They hoped the Brewers would win on Saturday.

It was a great time in Ladysmith.  I’m not sure when the school will hold their next induction, but they have a few names picked out.  When they hold their next one, I hope to attend. 

In writing my stories on 1909 Monroe, Athletic Director Eric Jubeck told me that Monroe was moving, in 2026, to a new school and they would create their own HOF soon after.

Finally, I wish to thank Ken Ohlfs and everyone at Ladysmith for their hospitality.

“THE GIANTS AT MONROE” AND THE 1909 CHASES FOR THE STATE TITLE…PART 3

One of the side stories to the Monroe’s 1909 season is that both quarterback Roy Collentine and center Frank Herin went to school at Monroe from 1906 through the winter of 1909-10.  They then quit Monroe and moved to Rockford to play and start on Tommy Mills’ 1910 team.  The Rockford yearbook, entitled “The Annual” lists the two as being juniors on the team roster.  A check of the 1912 yearbook does not list them so they may have graduated following the fall, 1910 year.  According to the story in the 1973 Monroe paper, this was common for students to only go to school in the fall, dropping out and then returning the next fall.  This is sort of news to me.  However, the only other regular instances of students graduating in December that I found was when I researched the 1940’s Milwaukee Washington yearbooks and a few students from various schools who were of age, joining the military service during World War II.

The 1973 Monroe Evening Times newspaper story also makes mention of Roy Collentine throwing a pass to Frank Davis for the first completion in the school’s history.  That was when the two were sophomores in 1907.  It isn’t noted if Davis was playing tackle or end.  In this era the ball had to go 10-yards past thew line of scrimmage to be considered a legal pass completion.  In those days it was also somewhat common for a lineman to take a reverse pitch or handoff and run the ball.  Davis was one such a player who did this and did it well when called upon. 

In my book, “The Great Teams” I mentioned that one of the state’s early 1900’s great athletes, tackle Arle Mucks. A true giant, 6’4.5, 250 pounds, from Oshkosh (1908-12) often ran the ball and scored a few touchdowns in his career.  Mucks was a four-time All-State player in football, stared while playing basketball and baseball and set the state record for throwing the shot and the discus.  In the 1912 he became America’s high schooler to compete in the Olympics, finishing sixth in the discus.

I don’t have information on any of the players after 1909 other than the two who moved to Rockford except for a postscript, submitted by Bob Davis on his grandfather, Frank.  Bob’s great-grandfather father owned a 700-acre dairy farm south of Monroe.  It was a surprise to the family that Frank was allowed to play football, owing to his farm duties. Despite his one word of "Thanks" at the post season banquet Frank became a successful business owner selling appliances as well as farm equipment.  He developed the “gift of gab”.  He also served on the city council.  In 1939, as he was preparing to run for mayor he died from an infected appendix. 

Finally:

There are many people I want to thank for helping gather the information in these stories relating to Monroe.

First, Bob Davis of the Ladysmith HOF.  Without his alerting me to the story of 1909 it may have taken a long time for me to find out about the team.

I had great help from several librarians:

Susan Holland, Library Director of the Monroe Public Library.  Thanks for sending me the file of the 1973 newspaper with a clearer picture of the story on the 1909 team.  This made the series much more possible.

 Heather Johnson at Sterling (IL) High School library who helped me find a link to old yearbooks and newspapers for Sterling when the reference desk at the public library could not even though it is available on the local library web page.  I thanked Heather several times while she navigated me through the site and her reply was “Your welcome.  This is what librarians do.  Help”.

Jan Thompson of the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library in Eau Claire who helped verify the opponent of the one game that the 1909 Eau Claire football team lost.  It was a tough search since the online newspaper made it difficult to verify.  I thought that they had lost to Marinette, and they did, but I couldn’t find out for sure in all of my records.

Amber Kresol, Gardenia Pacheco and Lorene Kennard of the Rockford Public Library who all helped find yearbook information on the 1910 Rockford High School football team.

And to Eric Jubeck, Athletic Director at Monroe High School, who hooked me up with a link to older yearbooks starting with 1936 through 2024.  These appear to be the oldest available yearbooks.  He noted that when they move to the new high school next year that the Cheesemakers will also be starting an Athletic Hall of Fame.

As I said at the beginning of these stories, I’m sorry it took so long to get here but I hope it was worth it to you, the reader.  And yes, I could go on, but it would be more of a national, rather than Wisconsin, football history of the era.