ROLLING INTO THE 1970’S…ON THE EDEGE OF OFFENSIVE GRESTNESS…PART 2

NOTE:  If you read Part 1 before today you would have seen that some years for the following Top 10 teams is missing.  The years for:

#7, Antigo is 1976

#6. Kenosha Tremper is 1979

#5, Green Bay Premontre is 1970

#2, Fond du Lac is 1974

I have re-edited, and the years have been updated.  Sorry for the problem.

                        THE TOP GAME

Waukesha High School went from one extreme to another as the eighth game of the Blackshirts undefeated season had gone so very wrong.  Entering the Friday October 26, 1973, matchup against South Milwaukee, Waukesha was ranked second in the A.P. and UPI statewide press polls.  South Milwaukee was ranked in the honorable mention list along with 14 other “Big Ten” schools in the October 24 A.P. posting in the Waukesha Freeman newspaper.  Waukesha was inching closer toward the top spot of the poll, only three voter points from the top spot held by Antigo.  The school had been climbing throughout the season and was now close to overtaking the Red Robins.  Madison East was close on the heels of the two teams as they were ranked number three, only two points behind Waukesha.  It was a close race to the top of the poll.  Antigo, the 1972 poll champion for both the A.P. and UPI was losing a little ground but all three schools…Antigo, Waukesha and Madison East were far ahead of the other seven teams in the top 10.

Going into the October 26 game there were three teams in the Suburban Conference vying for the conference title.  Waukesha was of course in the driver’s seat being undefeated but South Milwaukee and Wauwatosa West were tied for second place, both with a 6-1 record.  If Waukesha won their matchup with the Rockets they would have their fourth consecutive Suburban title.  So, the Friday night matchup was, to say crucial for the Blackshirts.  At the start of the year, most coaches thought that Waukesha was cinch to win the title but Coach Ken Hollub thought that games against Whitefish Bay, Wauwatosa West and South Milwaukee would be the toughest opponents to get by.  Instead, the season opener against Cudahy would be the only close game, a 7-0 win would wake the team up.  Since then, there had been blowouts.  Early in the season the Blackshirts beat Whitefish Bay 41-0 and Tosa West 34-6 and so they continued to roll.  The week before the matchup with South Milwaukee Waukesha destroyed Shorewood 76-0 and Hollub wasn’t happy.  Why?  Because the coach wanted a tougher game leading to the October 26 matchup. 

The Rockets were not a normally high offense team so the players for Waukesha were feeling confident, but Hollub was wary.  Wauwatosa West beat South Milwaukee 22-20, but South had blown out Whitefish Bay 36-6 as they rolled up 413 yards rushing.  The Friday game would be one where the Waukesha defense broke    for some unknown reason giving up multiple long plays.  Without a blow-by-blow recap, suffice it to say that a 70-yard punt return, 66-and 65-yard runs from scrimmage and 63-yard interception return, all touchdowns by back Kevin Kuchevar.  Most of which were in the second half put the nail in Waukesha’s coffin.  This was a team that had given up only 32-points in 1972 and only 20 so far in 1973, suddenly was at a loss as to how to stop South Milwaukee.  An 82-yard kickoff return by Jim Lofy and a 25-yard reception by Roland Simatec from quarterback Alan Kerber contributed.  Back Chuck Brulz scored on two short runs but scored three two-point conversions.

It was a close game in the first half, but the Rockets blew past the Blackshirts in the second half.  Tied 28-28 late in the second quarter South Milwaukee scored 28 straight points before Waukesha could cross the end zone in the final stanza.  South Milwaukee only had 17 first half offensive plays compared to 38 for Waukesha and that didn’t change much in the second half.  Sure, some of the Blackshirts showed some offensive power with Dean Hilmer crossing the goal three times, and John Anderson hauling in a score from quarterback Steve Schoepke who also ran for a score.  Anderson would kick five extra points and block a punt that led to the fourth quarter score but alas, South Milwaukee would best Waukesha 54-35.  It would be the three Blackshirt fumbles that would stymie second half offensive drives.  When the final A.P. poll was released, Waukesha would be dropped to the number six spot while South Milwaukee would jump to number nine.   Following the loss Waukesha beat West Allis hale 21-0 on a very muddy field to earn a share of their fourth Suburban Conference title.  South Milwaukee would tie Waukesha for the title with a 8-1 record as they beat Wauwatosa West the next week 20-0.  Antigo would reign again as the state champion.  Madison East dropped a game and suddenly La Crosse Logan, a slow riser in the polls, would end up in a distant second place to the Red Robins.

                            THE TOP COACH

Would you be surprised if Gordon “Gordy” Schofield wouldn’t be the pick for the top coach of the 1970’s?  Well, don’t be.  The best of the 70’s is Gordy.  His teams won four state titles, two in the A.P. and UPI polls as well as the first WIAA title in 1976 and another WIAA title in 1978.  The red Robins were just dominant.  Read more about his career in my blogs It's Not About the Numbers: Gordy Schofield - Part 1 (wihifootball.com) and It's Not About the Numbers: 1976 Antigo - Part 2 (wihifootball.com)

The 1970’s were also the years that coaches like Bob Hyland of Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs, Jerry Sinz of Edgar, Dick Basham at Marquette University High School Tom Taraska of Franklin and Hartland Arrowhead, Dave Keel of Homestead and Bill Young of Waukesha Catholic Memorial began their careers. 

 THE TOP PLAYERS

As I wrote in an earlier blog about John Anderson of Waukesha High School, he may be the best the state has ever produced.  As you will see below, he is all over the Top Players list.  He was a very bright star on the high school landscape in the early 1970’s and 30-years later he was on the minds of the 300+ coaches and sports writers that were polled by Cliff Christl for the Milwaukee Journal’s 1993 Team of the Century.  Anderson made the first team as an offensive end and as a linebacker.  He earned honorable mention as a punter and a kicker. And, yes on my lists I have John Anderson in four spots.

There was so much talent to choose from it became hard for me to limit, say to three running backs so I picked four.  Maybe Dick Barbour of Hillsboro, the state’s first 2,000-yard single season rusher should have made the first team instead of honorable mention.  Maybe West Alis Hale’s Jim Melka should have made the first team defense as a linebacker (He was equally good as a running back as well as on defense).  Many writers thought that Tim Straka of Madison West was equal as a wide receiver and as a defensive back.  There were tough choices.  I hope you can somewhat agree with my choices.

There you have it, the 1970’s.  Let me know what you think at kevinpatrowsky@earthlink.net.  Thanks.

ROLLING INTO THE 1970’S…ON THE EDEGE OF OFFENSIVE GRESTNESS…PART 1

This is being reposted because some info was somehow left off. It is the years for several of the teams that were missing.

For 85-years, starting in 1885, running the ball was the way to win games.  Sometimes a team, after 1906, would throw the ball. When you look at the state record book you notice a few things about the 1970’s.  First, it would not be until 1980 before the emergence of the modern passing game with Chippewa Falls McDonell leading the way. In 1965 and 1967 there would be the state’s first two 2,000-yard season passers but then a drought for hitting that mark until 1980.  There would be the first 2,000-yard rusher carried by Hillsboro’s Dick Barbour in 1970, 2,238 yards. No one else exceeded the high mark, 2,000-yards in that decade.  Port Washington’s Jack Wallisch would come the closest during the 70’s in 1971 with 1,901 yards.   Receivers would have to wait until 1982 to pass the 1,000-yard reception mark but Ken Schmidt from Evansville in 1979 would hall in a then, single season reception record, 69 passes.  All so close to statistical greatness to modern standards.

In talking about career records, as the decade closed, the leader was Greg Cavanagh of Manitowoc Roncalli with 3,762 yards.  Randy Krumrie of Mondovi led the way with 4,357 yards rushing.  Receiver Mike Krepfle of Potosi hauled in over his four-year career 133 passes gaining 1,802 yards but Greg Rabas of Kewaunee gained 1,942 yards on his 125 catches.

1969 was the beginning of football playoffs as the WISAA had only one division with four teams playing for the title.  In 1976 the WIAA followed suit with 16 teams competing in four divisions.  Schools went from playing 7-8, sometimes 9-games in a season.  Now the top teams could expect a 10-12 game extended season.  The run was solidified in 1968 when Head Coach Darrell Royal at the University of Texas and his assistant, Offensive Coordinator Emory Bellard, introduced to the world the Wish-bone Offense.  The running game was bolstered when other coaches, high school and college adapted the “Bone”.  There had been variations starting in the 1950’s but the Longhorns introduced a “new” way to run.  From there the Veer Offense, created by Bill Yeoman at the University of Houston.  The Wishbone was all-most all-run but with the Veer the ball could be thrown as well and effectively.  Running would remain King for a while but eventually, the Spread Offense and all of its variations would be the new rage but that’s in the future.

                                     The Top Teams

                                 Honorable Mention

1975-77 DeSoto…8-1 in 1975, undefeated and Class C champion with a 11-0 record in 1976 and left out of the ability to defend their title in 1977 despite going 9-0 that year.  This was a mistake by the WIAA playoff decision.  1975 Spring Valley…9-0 and #1 in the Little School press poll and had a 34-game win streak which DeSoto would end at 43-games in the first round of the initial 1976 playoffs. 1977 Madison West…Ranked #1 in the polls and the Regents won the 1977 Division 1 title over Stevens Point, 19-14.  1975-78 Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs…Undefeated in three of the four seasons leading into the WISAA state title game, the Ledgers fell shy of winning the title each year, but they were highly ranked by the press polls.  1973 and 1975 La Crosse Logan…Powerful undefeated (9-0) squads in the western part of the state and ranked each season as the #2 team in the polls, just behind Antigo.  1978 Clintonville… Won the D-2 title with a crushing 21-6 victory over Oregon and went 11-0.

The Top 10

                          #10 1979 Edgar (12-0)

The first of eight titles won under the direction of Jerry Sinz, the team had a great defense and a good offense.  Holding eight opponents scoreless and allowing only 32 points.  Dan Seiness led the team in rushing with 761-yards yet he wasn’t named to the All-Marawood Conference.  Of the 22 spots on the All-Conference team, Edgar claimed nine positions with Kent Weber (OT/DL) and Duane Borchardt (OG/DE) earning recognition on both side of the line.  Dave Thurs, a defensive back who hauled in 7 interceptions was named to the first team AP and UPI All-State teams as was defensive lineman Dennis Scharna.  QB Steve Willchowski, LB Gary Urmanski and DB Jim Heidmann were other all-conference stars. The team defeated Iowa-Grant in a fierce battle for the title, 11-6.

             #9 1977 Milwaukee Thomas More 10-1

Coached by HOF ‘er Jim Haluska, the Cavaliers won the WISAA title defeating Fond du Lac St. Mary’s Springs, 23-7.  They lost their season opener to Racine St. Catherines, 13-6 and then won out, defeating Milwaukee Marquette twice, once in the regular season 41-10 and then in the playoffs 10-7.  Led by junior running back Joe Arata, an All-Conference and All-Area player in 1977 and 1978 as well as an All-Stater in 1978, the team scored 303 points and allowed 87 that season.  Coach Haluska’s 1976 team won their first WISAA title, also going 10-1 and defeating Springs for the title, 15-14.

   #8 1975 11-1 Milwaukee Marquette University H.S.

In his fourth season at the school, HOF Coach Dick Basham directed his Fighting Hilltoppers to the school's first WISAA title.  Only a had fought loss to Milwaukee Pius 8-7 in the sixth game of the year marred the season’s record. The loss was a typical Metro Conference affair and sort of a grudge match between the two rivals.  Led by running back Steve Guhl, tackle Brian Carroll, defensive back Greg Graff and guard Pat Feely, all seniors who were named to the All-State teams.  Senior center D.J. Gral and junior defensive end John Tomasovic were key players as well.  Not a high scoring team, only 269 points, the squad posted four shutouts and gave up only one touchdown in four other games while allowing 78 total points.  The team defeated St. Matry’s Springs for the title 28-6. If not for the loss to Pius, a good team, had Marquette gone undefeated the school might have moved up a spot.

                           #7 1976 11-0 Antigo

Yes, I know I featured the team in a two-part blog a few years ago and it truly was a fine team otherwise I wouldn’t have them ranked in the top 10.  The team won the first WIAA Class A (Now D-1) title, beating Racine Horlick, 6-0.  To Coach Gordon “Gordy” Schofield, it wasn’t about the numbers…lots of points or offensive yardage, it was about the wins.  The team went undefeated allowing only 51 total points with six shutouts.  They only scored 189 points all year.  QB/DB Dan Thorpe earned All-State honors and there were other stars as well.  Check out the two blogs from April 2022 for more details.

                      #6 1979 11-0 Kenosha Tremper

Some may balk at where this team is listed as #6 but the squad would again win the D-1 title in 1980 and in my eyes that was the better of the two.  Led by junior quarterback Marc Hujik who was a second team All-State selection in 10979 and first team in 1980.  He didn’t throw much and he did gain some ground running but it was his all-around play that made him a star.  End Jeff Rusk and defensive lineman Russ Roberts also earned All-State honors for HOF Coach Ron Davies.  The team scored 331 points and allowed 90 points.

               #5 1970 11-0 Green Bay Premontre

The WISAA playoff state champion and the first private school to be ranked in both the AP and UPI press polls.  Quarterback Greg Lemond led the conference in passing, gaining 1,302 yards and tossing 13 touchdowns as he was protected by an offensive line that was nearly as large as that of the Green Bay Packers, averaging 6’3 and 230 pounds.  Lemond was accidentally left off the All-Conference nomination ballot but eight of his teammates made the first team squad. Lineman Greg LoCascio earned All-State honors as did LB/OG Jerry Wied.  Winning the Fox Valley Catholic Conference title in 1969 and 1970, Coach Ron Miller built a powerful ball club that had only two close games, 14-13 vs. De Pere Abbot Pennings and a 25-20 win against Madison Edgewood, before bad weather held the title game score to a 6-0 championship game played at Camp Randall against La Crosse Aquinas.

          #3 TIE 1972 9-0 Antigo and 1973 9-0 Antigo

In both seasons the Red Robins were ranked in both the season final polls by the AP and UPI as the top Large School rankings. The 1973 team scored 305 points and allowed 58 while the 1972 team put up 335 points vs. 44.  Similar stats.  It was impossible to pick between the two teams as to which was better.  They were as always, a run dominated team.  All-Stater Kevin Boodry led the 1973 squad with 1,115 yards on the ground as he scored 16 touchdowns and kicked 22 extra points. In 1974 he was again All-State gaining 1,431 yards and scored 24 touchdowns and 14 extra point for a state leading 158 points as Antigo went 8-1.  While reviewing Antigo records, I discovered that the 158 points Boodry scored was a new high for the 1974 season.

                        #2 1974 8-0 Fond du Lac

The Johnson’s were just part of the great late 1960’s and early 1970’s Fond du Lac Goodrich football program.  First, after four seasons as an assistant Jim Johnson before assuming the head coaching position in 1964.  He took a middle of the road program and turned them into a winner. His sons, Pete and Phil were All-State players.  Pete was a three-time first team All-Stater as a linebacker.  Phil was a second team All-Stater as a junior in 1973 and first team in 1974 when he picked up 1,251 yards and scored 17 touchdowns.  Offensive tackle Jim McCullough and defensive end Mike Mellenthin (Who also played tight end) had 81 tackles were also first team All-Staters.  Linebacker Jim Pierce was ion the second team and led the team with 116 tackles.  Interesting to me, halfback Jerry Lennop was named to the honorable mention list after gaining only 402 yards on the ground and yet he scored 68 points as he scored 11 touchdowns and a two-point conversion.  As a team the Cardinals picked off 16 passes and allowed only 389 yards through the air on opponents 38-119 passing.

                              #1 1978 12-0 Antigo

       Gordy Schofield began building a powerhouse program when he took over at Antigo in 1962, winning the 1969, 1972, 1973 and 1975 press championships and the 1976, 1978 and 1982 WIAA playoff titles.  The Red Robins were just dominate and the 1978 team was their best of the 1970’s.  Led by All-American running back Jerry Schedlbauer who piled up 1,842 yards on 271 carries and 34 touchdowns along with four two-point conversions for 212 points.  The rushing yards, touchdowns and total points led the state that year.  Tackle Dave Brandt and Schedlbauer were first team All-State and defensive back Mike March was on the second team.  Six other players earned first team All-Conference and six others earned honorable mention.  Schofield would win 15 Wisconsin Valley Conference titles in his 25-years as head coach posting a 199-41-2 record.  The red Robins were only challenged twice during the season.  In the season opener against Stevens Point, 14-13 and in the championship against Madison Memorial, 21-14.  Otherwise, they scored a school record 412 points and allowed 130. 

Next time the Top Game, Top Coach, and Top Players.

SCHOOL RECORD BOOKS…HISTORY OF TEAMS

It was like being a five-year-old again at Christmas only it was late June, when I opened the envelope for the River Ridge 2024 Football Record Book.  As I stated in my last blog: BOSCOBEL…PLAYING THE GAME (wihifootball.com)  I was very impressed with what Jimmie Kaska had sent me.  His Media Kit is a wonder but I was even a more impressed in what Wade Winkers, Head Football Coach/Athletic Director at River Ridge had produced.  I was amazed at the detail.  It showed pride in the school program as well giving me history that I hadn’t imagined. 

There were 12 pages of recaps of the 2023 season then a Championship/Awards section.  There were full page pictures/and stats for each conference champion squad.  It was then that I discovered that River Ridge hasn’t always been known as River Ridge.  Back when I was first starting to cull the microfilm files at the Wisconsin State Historical Society, I discovered that Bloomington had a powerhouse team going 9-0-0 in each of the 1970 and 1971 season.  They were led by Greg Hermsen the school’s fullback who is the all-time leading scorer and is #2 all-time in rushing. Hermsen earned 2nd team All-State honors in both seasons and ended up leading the state in scoring in 1971 with 211 points.  Quarterback Earl Patterson was also a three-year starter and is listed as the school’s career leading passer.  The story moves on with other conference champions then to individual honors…All conference, WFCA All-Region, WFCA All-star game participants, an all-time listing of team captains and those who played college ball.

The football program began in 1902 but the record book really covers player and coaching records beginning in 1960 when Bloomington began playing 8-player football.  In 1967 they moved to 11-player when the other members of the Blackhawk Conference did the same. There were years that Bloomington didn’t field a team.   The book has a few seasons prior to 1960 going back to 1902.  Each season has scores for all the games played.

The next section covers team and player stats for 64 pages.  Yes, 64 pages.  There are breakdowns of every 100-yard rusher in a single game, 150 yards in a single game passer and 100 yards in a single game receiving and more.  And yes, EVERY 100/150-yard games.   Wade lists all the single season performers.  There are lists for punt return, kick-off return, interception, punting, tackles and tackles for loss.

Then it moves on to the coaching records with the afore mentioned season individual game scores.  As well as all-time records vs. opponents.  Finally, there are pictures of almost every team.  Throughout, there are many color photos. 

So, why did I mention Bloomington when the book is from River Ridge?  Well, Bloomington was the first area high school.  There are a lot of very small villages in the area and their students attended Bloomington and so the name was just that but from 1986-1994 the schools official name was changed to Bloomington/West Grant.  The school was in western Grant County so hence, the slight name change.  But in 1995 the name changed again and became River Ridge as the school district expanded to include other villages and the River Ridge School District was formed.  Combined, the schools have a 308-234-2 record between the three versions of the school district.  In the early part of the 1900’s Bloomington played, sporadically over many sessions, 11-player football until they moved to 8-player between 1960 and 1966.  Like a lot of early teams many of their records are lost.  Wade was able to accumulate some pre-1960’s records.  Football had been discontinued in 1932 but his records for the earlier years is 6-29-6.  Not counting the  8-player years brings the combined school 11-player record to 314-260-7.

With this fine book that Wade has produced I asked him where he got the idea to do such an expansive book.  The idea came when he talked with and then read The Lancaster Record Book written by Jason Nihles.  Jason works for the Platteville Journal newspaper, he’s a graduate of Lancaster High School and plays adult basketball and softball with Wade.  Through Wade I made contact with Jason who sent me a copy of his book.

Jason wrote the book that I received back in the early part of 2013.  He hasn’t made an update since even though he has done additional research on the school’s teams since.  Family and work keep him busy.

The Lancaster Record Book is full of even better details than the River Ridge book.   And why not?  Lancaster had won six WIAA state titles and 25 conference championships up to 2012.  There are individual pages dedicated to each conference and state champion beginning in 1937.  The pages have a recap of the season, team stats, rosters and the “Key Players”.  Coach John Hoch contributed his All-Time team with a brief biography of each player.  Pages with recaps of the teams’ appearances in the state title games and individual pages on the school’s conference MVP’s and All-State players and all of this is in the first 104 pages out of 178. Page book.  There are some additional 10 pages with advertising that he sold.

Of the remaining 74 pages out of the total 178 contain similar player stats that I mentioned above with River Ridge.  The early part of the book is full of Lancaster history and even though you may not be from the area a history reader would find the info very interesting. 

When I posted my May 10 blog:  WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL PROGRAMS WITH THE MOST WINS AT THE END OF EACH DECADE…1890-2023 (wihifootball.com) I left out something at the end of the story.  I had tracked Lancaster as a possible entry for the story but the records I found were incomplete.  The school library only had yearbooks that went  back to the 1969 season.  The local library had only a few older yearbooks and through looking at those issues and doing a bit more research I found a few more very early season records.  With the info that Jason has on the Lancaster program starting in 1937 (He actually has the 1936 season w/l/t but not the game scores).  Adding the season records Jason had up to the end of 2013 and then adding the season totals (2013-2023) taken from WISSPORTS records the record is 609-265-22. After I wrote this blog Jason sent me additional information to help confirm my totals. The known above record totals for the school of course doesn't include some missing seasons. Also, Lancaster, like a number of schools was forced to discontinue the sport for some years (1909-1914) because of financial problems or a lack of players. The 609 wins would have placed the school in the #4 spot on my previous blog, one win behind Marinette who has 610. If I had known Jason’s totals previously the school would be on the list, and I will look for more to see if Lancaster can move up a bit higher.

If you think about it, Lancaster (609 known wins), Darlington (715 confirmed wins) and the Platteville (566 known wins) have a combined 1,892 all-time wins.  Remarkable for schools only 55-miles apart and often playing each other.

I highly recommend that you are interested in getting your own copies that you contact Wade Winkers… winkerswa@rrsd.k12.wi.us and/or Jason Nihles…ports@theplattevillejournal.com if you are interested obtaining a copy of their books.  There are very limited editions of each.  They will tell you the cost of the book plus postage.  I think they are masterpieces.