FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS IN WISCONSIN 1977…AND A BIT MORE

Before HBO-TV’s 20+ year series “Hard Knocks” that started in 2001 highlighting individual NFL football teams and before MTV’s short series in 2006 “Two-A-Days” about Hoover Alabama’s football team there was H.G. Bissinger’s book “Friday Night Lights: A Town, A Team and a Dream” in 1990 about the Odessa Texas team.  That book spawned a movie and several TV series.  Before all these programs arrived on the national scene there was a well-received T. V special about a Wisconsin high school team and its coach.

 Sometime in early 1977 Whitefish Bay coach Bob Albrightson was approached by NBC News/Sports to be the focus during the upcoming high school football season.  I’m not sure why Albrightson was asked to be filmed as there were several other more well-known national coaches to consider.  In particular, one coach was Gerry Faust of Cincinnati Ohio Archbishop Moeller High School.  Faust was the talk of the country after his Crusaders won (Tied in the polls with Warner Robins, GA.) the national mythical national championship by going 12-0 in 1976 and of course winning the Ohio State high school title.  They would again win both titles, state and national, in 1977.

Albrightson was a good coach, spending 14-years as the Blue Devils head coach and 27-years as a teacher.  Bob had a 67-59 record at Whitefish Bay that earned one Suburban Conference 1972 co-title, and his teams finished second four times.  Maybe he came to the attention of NBC because of his many newspaper and professional articles.  He was a very good artist as well, seemingly to specialize in football portraits as posted on the school athletic web page.  As a frequent sports commentator on NPR, he was also often on other talk shows, both local and nationally.  So, that may have been how he was approached to have his season filmed.

1977 Coach Bob Albrightson celebrating a touchdown

A November 17, 1977 news-story in the Waukesha County Freeman newspaper brought a minor controversy to my attention.  The article was focused mainly on Waukesha North coach Dewey Schiele and a few other Suburban Conference coaches.  Entitled “Coaches React Differently to TV Special”, Schiele said in great detail that he was against allowing NBC to put a microphone on him or his players or to even film the team.  Scheduled for Sunday night, December 3, the 10:30-midnight broadcast was on a show entitled WEEKEND and was hosted by Lloyd Dobyns.  The program was fairly well received.  But, as I said, Schiele turned the network and Albrightson down.  Not all of the Whitefish Bay opponent coaches were asked to participate.  Those not chosen told the Freeman reporter that they wouldn’t have allowed the filming even if they had been asked.

Prior to each upcoming game NBC would attempt to get permission to film Whitefish Bay’s opponent.   The 11-team Suburban Conference played an eight-game rotating format of conference opponents and then each team would schedule a non-conference game. On   The reasons for declining on Schiele’s part came from comments by other coaches that NBC was setting Albrightson to be the guy in “the white hat” and the opposing coach would be in “the black hat”.  One coach, Wauwatosa West’s Don Brenner did allow the filming but said afterward that he would never do it again…too disruptive to his coaching style.  During the filming he felt that it was hard to concentrate on the game and that went for his players as well.

Schiele’s and Albrighton’s coaching styles differed a little.  Don Schiele was thought of as a rah-rah type guy.  Bob Albrightson had an oft-quoted philosophy of “winning isn’t everything and football is only a game so it should be fun”. 

Dewey Schiele

Yes, Albrightson would occasionally raise his voice to a player but when he asked Schiele if he had any reservations about being wired, the Waukesha North coach said that he did. Schiele said you had to treat certain players differently.  He said he never yelled or criticized a quarterback, but he could get explosive with a linebacker who missed a tackle.  Those who chose to not to be filmed seemed to bed the more “explosive” coaches in the conference.  You can edit may things, but some word can’t be totally erased.  Besides, those that declined felt that they would be the guy wearing “the black hat” and that could hurt their reputations in one of the state most competitive conferences.

Bill Spaltholz of South Milwaukee said he was never asked to be filmed but would have refused saying that “They’re trying to create an image for one person and you can look bad in contrast”.  Also, it would have distracted from his coaching.  John Richmond of Wauwatosa East said “You put anybody in any job in a pressure situation and he won’t appear like he will in a normal situation”.

Jerry Bowed of Cudahy was not asked but would have declined, admitting that he was a little more volatile than other coaches and was not one to hold back chewing out a player.

Ted Bear of Waukesha South did allow himself to be wired and said the people from the network were professional and he didn’t even notice them except for one instance.  That was at half-time when the filming crew was allowed in the locker room.  The camera’s presence was a bit of a distraction then.  Tony Mooren of the Waukesha Freeman, who wrote the story, also felt surprised that Bear would have allowed the NBC crew to film.  Several years earlier, in a game between South and North, a local station filmed Bear and his staff in an unfavorable light.  However, this experience went well for Bear and his Blackshirts.

In the end, NBC did a fine job in presenting high school football in a favorable light.

More notes:

Dewey Schiele was Waukesha North’s first football coach starting in 1974.  He posted a 34-39 record at North and in 1978 he was named by the Waukesha Freeman as the County Coach of the Year.  His 1975 and 1978 teams were Suburban Conference Champions. Prior to coming to North Dewey was the head coach at St. Francis where he was 26-24.  Often picked to be near the last team in the preseason poll for the Parkland title his teams finished mot seasons in the middle of the pack an in 1973 they went 8-1.  Dewey had a long experience with baseball, scouting for the St. Louis Cardinals for 12-years.  In the movie “Major League” he is in the credits as umpire #6

Nationally #1 ranked Cincinnati (OH) Archbishop Moeller High School not only won the 1976 and 1977 mythical national championships but were voted to the top spot in 1979 and 1980 with Jerry Faust at the helm. After posting a career record of 178-23-2 Faust was chosen to become the head coach at Notre Dame where from 1981-85 he posted a 30-26-1 record. Steve Klonne, Faust's top assistant directed Moeller to the 1982 mythical title.

AFTERWARD:

The first major TV ‘reality” show seems to be when HBO-TV began an NFL reality series called “Hard Knocks” which began in 2001 and continues today, 2024.  The network has covered 20-teams over the 24-years (Filming several teams one different occasions

MTV’s reality show focusing on the Hoover AL team showed a team that was led by a controversial coach, Rush Probst.  To learn more about Probst and his team check out the two attached links:  Two-A-Days - Wikipedia and Rush Propst - Wikipedia.

Friday Night Lights spawned two TV series…”Against the Grain” which ran for a short time in 1993 and one of the stars was Ben Affleck:  Against the Grain (TV series) - Wikipedia.  In 2004 the book inspired a major motion picture that stared Billy Bob Thornton, Derek Luke, Tim McGraw and Connie Britton.  Friday Night Lights (film) - Wikipedia.  Then in 2006 NBC tried again with a TV series with the same name and it ran for five seasons staring Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler Jesse Plemons and Scott Porter, to name a few. Friday Night Lights (TV series) - Wikipedia

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.