A History of Nebraska High School Big 10 Conference Football Playoffs-Part 2

I would like to acknowledge the man who gave me the idea for doing this series. His name is Paul Swanson, a 1981 graduate of Fremont high school, who is now the Statistician for the Minnesota Timberwolves of the NBA and the Minnesota Lynx of the WNBA.

Mr. Swanson also uncovered a couple more Fremont thousand yard rushers for me during our recent communications. Just have to respect a man who is interested in the historical aspect of Nebraska prep sports.

So, today I will repeat the list of BIG TEN playoff scores and take you on a brief journey through the 1946, ‘47, ‘48, ‘49 and 1950 BIG TEN championship games.

*ALL BIG TEN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS*

(* denotes home team)

1945 - *Scottsbluff 45-12 Grand Island

1946 - McCook 7-0 *Fremont

1947 - Grand Island 20-0 *North Platte

1948 - *Grand Island 41-0 Alliance

1949 - *North Platte 20-7 Fremont

1950 - *Grand Island 33-0 McCook

1951 - Fremont 28-6 *Scottsbluff

1952 - Scottsbluff 26-0 *Grand Island

1953 - Grand Island 40-0 *McCook

1954 - *Grand Island 38-14 *North Platte

1955 - Grand Island 41-13 *Scottsbluff

1956 - McCook 3-0 *Hastings

1957 - *Scottsbluff 28-6 Grand Island

1958 - Scottsbluff 28-0 *Columbus

1959 - *Scottsbluff 14-13 Norfolk

1960 - McCook 15-13 *Hastings

1961 - *North Platte 12-0 Hastings

1962 - North Platte 14-13 *Hastings

1963 - *Scottsbluff 19-14 Grand Island

1964 - *Columbus 27-6 North Platte

1965 - *Kearney 28-6 Grand Island

1966 - *Fremont 43-0 Scottsbluff

1967 - *Scottsbluff 26-6 Fremont

1968 - *Fremont 20-20 (tie) Scottsbluff

1969 - Fremont 65-14 *McCook

1970 - *Fremont 53-7 Scottsbluff

1971 - Columbus 27-13 *North Platte

1972 - *Fremont 28-7 Kearney

1973 - *North Platte 25-14 Grand Island

1974 - North Platte 16-0 Columbus

1975 - Fremont 20-0 *Kearney

1976 - North Platte 16-14 *Columbus

1977 - Norfolk 24-8 *Kearney

1978 - *Fremont 26-10 Kearney

1979 - Hastings 21-3 *North Platte

35 Games Played: East 18-17 West

Most Championships - Fremont 8

Most Championships - East - Fremont - 8. West - Scottsbluff - 7

Most Championship Appearances - Grand Island and Scottsbluff, 12 each.

Most Championship Appearances - East-Grand Island - 12, West-Scottsbluff - 12

Best Record in Championship Appearances - Fremont 8-3

*1946 - McCook 7-0 Fremont (Friday, November 22nd in Fremont before 5,000 est.)

Despite not being able to turn “Larriupin’ Leo McKillip” loose the “Thunderin’ Bisons of McCook still managed to pull out a 7-0 win over a scrappy band of Fremont “Iron Men”.

McCook’s winning score came midway through the 4th quarter when “Lanky Leo” (McKillip) found Don Paydon standing alone in the corner of the end zone, then hit the McCook end with a perfect 27 yard scoring pass. Dick Drake then booted the PAT, giving the Thunderin’ Bisons all they needed for the win.

The writer of this account stated that “despite McCook winning the game to remain undefeated (9-0) and easily ranked number one in the state, it was Fremont who stole the show from the highly Leo McKillip and his undefeated mates. He/She also stated the Bisons guards were repeatedly “fooled” by the smooth as silk Fremont offense.

Well okay then.

McCook head coach was “Coach Sautter”, Fremont’s was “Coach Faris”. The Officials were; Max Roper (Referee), Frank Mueller (Umpire), and (you’re going to love this one) Mathias “Mutt” Volz (Headlinesman)

*1947 - Grand Island 20-0 North Platte (Played on Thanksgiving Day in North Platte. Was postponed from Friday, Nov. 21st due to snow and cold).

----------------------1------2------3------4--------Final

North Platte------0------0------0------0----------0

Grand Island-----0------6------7------7----------20

GI - Bill Noble 1 run------------PAT failed

GI - Bobby Reynolds 1 run----PAT Noble run

GI - Bobby Reynolds passed to Dale Toft, who pitched to Al Lyons for the 18 yard score. Reynolds then scored the PAT on a run.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grand Island was named Class A State Champion by Wally Provost of the Lincoln Journal-Star, completing a 10-0 season in 1946.

*The Islanders 1946 record*

45 Norfolk 0--------------20 North Platte 0

28 Hastings 7-------------74 McCook 0

33 Columbus 0-----------13 Fremont 7

34 Kearney 6--------------25 Lincoln 14

45 Fairbury 0--------------20 North Platte 0 (Big 10 playoff)

The great Bobby Reynolds was just putting the finishing touches on an unforgettable junior season for the Islanders, but the best was yet to come in ‘48.

*1948 - Grand Island 41-0 Alliance (Played on Thanksgiving Day in GI. Was postponed from Friday, Nov. 19th due to a blizzard. The Islanders stadium was then located along Bismark Road on the southwest side of the current Pier Park.

The incomparable Bobby Reynolds was never better in the 41-0 route of Alliance, the Bulldogs only appearance in the Big 10 playoff in 35 years.

-------------------1-----2-----3-----4-------Final

Alliance---------0-----0-----0-----0………..0

Grand Island--20---14----0------7-------41

GI-Bob Hahn 4 run----------------------------PAT-Bob Bachman kick

GI-Bobby Reynolds 100 INT Return-------PAT-kick failed

GI-Larry Carney 49 pass from Reynolds--PAT-Bachman kick

GI-Bob Bachman 1 run-----------------------PAT-Bachman kick

GI-Bud John 1 run-----------------------------PAT-Bachman kick

GI-Bobby Reynolds 65 INT Return---------PAT-Bachman kick

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Two GI TDs were also called back due to penalties)

*The 1948 Class A State Champion Grand Island season Record-10-0*

39 Norfolk 0-------------46 North Platte 0

43 Hastings 13----------41 McCook 0

56 Columbus 13--------13 Fremont 2

34 Kearney 7------------53 Lincoln High 7

52 Fairbury 18----------41 Alliance 0 (Big 10 playoff)

1949 - North Platte 20-7 Fremont (Played Friday, Nov. 18th at North Platte)

North Platte and Fremont, each making their second appearances in the Big 10 playoff game, staged a low scoring contest until the Platters broke it open with a a pair of fourth

quarter touchdowns.

North Platte drew first blood via a Norman Howell one yard plunge in the opening stanza. Fremont answered twenty seconds into the second quarter when Dick Polly hit Dick Tegt with a 5 yard TD strike.

The two teams remained deadlocked at seven until the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. That’s when the Platters speedy Ray Lincoln broke two tackles and returned a Fremont punt 55 yards for the go ahead score. Lyle Habens then scooted 27 yards though a stunned Tiger defense on the next possession to put it away for the home team.

*Scoring;

NP - Dick Howell 1 run-----------------------PAT-Roy Clark kick

Fre - Dick Tegt 5 pass from Dick Polly----PAT-Don Wynn kick

NP - Ray Lincoln 55 punt return-----------PAT-kick failed

NP - Lyle Habens 27 run---------------------PAT-Roy Clark kick

North Platte, who ended up 9-1 in 1949, earned a #4 rating in the final Journal-Star ratings, compiled by Ralph Stewert. Fremont, who ended Grand Island’s 28 game winning streak with a 20-18 win over Jerry Lee’s Islanders, ended up being rated #6 with a season record of 6-3-1.

North Platte’s head coach was Roscoe Tolly. Fremont was coached by Bob Faris.

1950 - Grand Island 33-0 McCook (Game played Friday, Nov. 17th in Grand Island)

Coach Jerry Lee’s Grand Island team maintained it’s supremacy over Big 10 teams by running over McCook 33-0 in the 6th Big 10 playoff game. The Islanders cruised their third title in the past four seasons in the annual Class A outstate conference championship game.

The GI defense was stifling, limiting McCook to 158 total yards, 108 of those through the air. The Islander defense was so stingy that the Bison crossed the 50 yard line only once and that coming in the fourth quarter against GI backups and that drive fizzled at the 36 yard line.

---------------------1-----2-----3------4--------Final

McCook----------0-----0-----0------0----------0

Grand Island----7-----7----19-----0----------33

GI - Pat Lee 25 pass from Bob Smith--------PAT-Bob Smith kick

GI - John Anderson 6 run-----------------------PAT-Bob Smith kick

GI - John Anderson 3 run-----------------------PAT-Bob Smith kick

GI - John Anderson 10 run---------------------PAT-Kick failed

GI - Pat Lee 37 pass from Bob Schneissler--PAT-Kick failed

*Grand Island finished the 1950 season tied with Lincoln High at No. 3 in the Lincoln Journal-Star football Final Top 10 ratings.