1926 State Champs

 

Town of Newberry turns out to welcome home the 1926 State Champ Basketball team.Just as Ishpeming’s victory in 1900 would become a watershed moment for U.P. football, two teams in 1926 would do the same for U.P. basketball. After years of competing against teams in the Lower Peninsula in tournaments, the U.P. had yet to see a team win the coveted State Championship. There were teams that came close (see Negaunee’s 1922 team), but none was able to take home the title.

The Newberry Indians had finished what they consid­ered a disastrous 1924-25 campaign, but hopes were high for the 1925-26 season. After finishing the season with only one loss, the Indians swept through the Districts in Munising and entered into the U.P. Championship in Marquette. Newberry won the U.P. Class C tournament, but lost to Class B Negaunee for the U.P. Championship (at the time, there was a sepa­rate U.P. championship game beyond the state tourna­ment). The team then headed to Lansing for the Class C State Championship tournament. The Indian’s first game was against the heavily favored and undefeated Reed City team, but the Newberry pulled out a victory. They then defeated Three Oaks in the semi and St. James to take the 1926 Class C State Champion title.

Members of the 1926 Newberry team in the homecoming celebration parade after their State Championship victory.
Images courtesy of Jim Dwyer.

Across the U.P, another team, Michigamme, was on the march to a Class D title. Under the direction of C.C. Walther and leadership of A1 Treado, the Michigamme Eagles went downstate after a stellar season. In the Class D final, the Eagles defeated Alpena St. Bernard by the score of 27-15. On March 29, 1926, both the New­berry and Michigamme teams shared the same train back to the Upper Peninsula, and they were both re­ceived by a thunderous ovation at the Newberry Depot. Upon arriving home, the Michigamme team received a similar welcome.

Chassel Wins Title, Again

 

Back row: Team Managers, Jack Bakkila, Phil Sauvola, Players: Kenneth Tormala, Michael Wisti, Dale Destrampe, John Pyykkonen, Robert White, Paul Makela, Coach Edward Helakoski. Front Row: Don Mattson, Terry Pokela, Alan Morin, Donald Jaakkola, Tom Peters, Alden Tormala.There are many great records set in high school sports in the Upper Peninsula, but most don’t last more than a few years. One record that may never be surpassed was set by the Chassell High School boys’ basketball team between 1956 and 1958. Over three consecutive seasons, the Panthers compiled 65 straight victories and three Class D State Basketball Championships.

This incredible streak began in 1956, under the leader­ship of head coach Ed Helakoski. Midway through the 1955-1956 season, the Panthers lost to Trout Creek. This would be the last loss for the next three years. Chassell went on to win the rest of its games, culmi­nating with a 71-68 victory over Portland St. Patrick in the State Championship (overcoming a 15-point deficit with four minutes left to play).

The winning streak continued during the 1956-57 season, as the team survived a close call against L'anse (64-63) but won the rest of its games with by an average margin of 27 points. The team stormed through the state tournament with its closest game being the State Final against Stevensville, which Chassell won 58-50.

With the winning streak at 39 games, the Panthers began the 1957-58 season gunning for the winning streak record held by nearby Mass of 59 games in a row. This was no sure thing with only one returning starter (Don Mattson) and only 30 boys to choose from in the school. Though the team would have some close calls, it broke Mass’ record with the 60th win against Marenisco in the Districts. The Pan­thers would return downstate and defeated Owosso St. Paul for their third straight state championship, 66-61.

1957 Championship Team
Back Row: Team Manager Peter Hruska, Players: Phil Junkkari, Robert Belhumer, Kenneth Tormala, Coach Edward Helakoski, Dale Destrampe, Donald Sohlden, Robert White and Team Manager Walt Kalliainen. Front Row: John Pyykkonen, Donald Mattson, Terry Polkela, Tom Peters, Alden Tormala, Paul MakelaOn November 24, 1958, Chassell’s record breaking streak ended when they lost the first game of the season to Ewen. Though it was a devastating loss for the team and community, it is a record that has lasted for more than 50 years. There have been a couple of schools that have contested Chassell’s record, but the winning streak of 65 games has yet to be bested.

1958 State Championship Team Homecoming
Back Row: Coach Edward Helakoski, Gary Soumis, Paul Makela, Donald Mattson, Alden Tormala, Fred Haapala, James Komula, Kenneth Tormala.
Front Row: Phil Junkkari, Gary Jaakkola, David Marke, Robert Belhumer, Henry Ohtonen, Howard Tormala, Peter Hruska.Images courtesy of the Chassell Historical Organization.

Early Football

1901 Ishpeming High Football Team

State Champions
Image courtesy of Ishpeming Public SchoolsAs early as the 1890s, high schools throughout the Upper Peninsula were fielding competitive football teams. Following in the footsteps of college programs, schools saw these games as fun extracurricular activi­ties for the students, but also as ways to bring commu­nities together. From these games, however, came great community pride and longstanding rivalries. Menominee and Marinette (Wis.) have the oldest inter­state rivalry in the country, going back to 1894.

In late 1899, the University of Michigan and the Michi­gan High School Athletic Association committee de­cided to hold a state championship game each Thanks­giving weekend. The second year of the champion­ship, they invited Ishpeming High School to compete against Orchard Lake Michigan Military Academy. The Hematites won their first state championship by defeating Orchard Lake, 12-6. Ishpeming would go on to win the title the next two years as well (1901 - Ish­peming 27, Kalamazoo 21; 1902 - Ishpeming 35, Benton Harbor 12).

1908 Escanaba High Football Team
State Champions
Image courtesy of the Delta County Historical SocietyIn 1903, Escanaba was selected to play in the cham­pionship game, but lost to Benton Harbor, 22-0. A year later, Escanaba got a new football coach, John Woodhams, and began the rivalry with Gladstone, whom they tied 0-0 during their regular-season game. Escanaba had a season record of 6 wins, 1 loss (to the Escanaba city team), and 1 tie. The Es­canaba high school team played Mount Pleasant in the state championship and won 16-5.

In 1905, Ishpeming would return as the state cham­pion, defeating Grand Rapids Central by a score of 17-5, but after that year the game was no longer held on a yearly basis. Escanaba High School’s 1907 foot­ball team was supposed to play Saginaw in the state championship, but the Saginaw team refused to play them either at home or in the U.P. Escanaba there­fore won the state championship by a forfeit from Saginaw, which is recorded as a 1-0 score. The next year, Escanaba was the U.P. champ again, but a game with Ann Arbor never materialized.

Ironwood Football 1925

In 1925, Ironwood High School put together one of the most powerful teams in U.P. football history. Led by fullback John Cavosie, the Red Devils went undefeated through six games during their regular season, outscoring their opponents 165 - 0. Cavosie not only led the team in running, but also set a world-record distance with a drop kick of 55 yards. The only blip on their season was a 0 - 0 tie with Superior, Wisconsin. At the end of the season, the State Director of Athletics decid­ed for the first time in several years to invite a U.P. team to come down and play a championship game. It was Ironwood’s first time playing in lower Michigan and its opponent was the much-vaunted Redford High School. The Red Devils were not given much chance in the championship game held on Thanksgiving Day in De­troit. But in the end, another U.P. team proved its worth, defeating Redford by the score, 47-0! Redford simply could not stop Ironwood’s passing game and open style of play.

Newberry Dominates!

1949 Newberry Indians Football Team

Image courtesy of Ken Stephenson.Between the years 1949 and 1951, there was no more dominant football program in the Upper Peninsula than that of the Newberry Indians. Under the direction of coaching legend Morley Fraser, the Indians posted a record of 22-0-1 which included a winning streak of 21 games.

The 1949 season started off slowly for the Class B Indians, with a close 7-6 victory over Negaunee and then a 13-13 tie against Class A Marquette. But then the Indians’ season went into high gear with a series of lopsided victories including a 63-0 defeat of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The season ended with a highly antici­pated game against the Petoskey Northmen, who were ranked #1 in the state by the Detroit Free Press. Out­played in the first half, the Indians rallied in the second, scoring 35 unanswered points on their way to a 35-13 victory and recognition as the best Class B team in the State.

1951 Newberry Indians Football Team
Image courtesy of Ken Stephenson.

The winning ways continued in the 1950 season. Led by backs Joe Vilemure and Don McIntyre, the Indians dominated all of their opponents, ending the season with a perfect 7-0 record. No team came within three touchdowns of Newberry in any of the games. The Indians outscored their opponents by an incredible 217 to 20. They ended the 1950 season ranked third in the state Class B behind Niles and Cadillac.

The 1951 season would go down as the greatest in Newberry gridiron history. The team went a perfect 8-0, extending their winning streak to 21 games, the longest in U.P. sports history at the time. The Indi­ans scored 276 points to their opponents 16. In the closest game of the season, Newberry defeated Mar­quette 28-2. Running back Tom Taylor and center Jim Anderson were named to the All-U.P. team by the U.P. Sportswriters Association. The team also received the coveted Barber Trophy for being voted the best team in the U.P. They would also end the year ranked #1 for Class B in the state by the Detroit Times.

Great Unbeatens

Images courtesy of Baraga, Hancock, Marquette and Norway Public Schools.

1981 Schedule

Redettes Are Champs! 

Front Row: Karen Levandoski, Cheryl Aho, Janet Hopkins, Shelly Chapman, Caron Krueger.
2nd Row: Kate Jennings. Sue Micklow, Mary Erspamer. Sue Belanger, Kay Levandoski.
3rd Row: Chris Moran, Katie Miller, Lisa Coombs, Cynie Cory. Back Row: Coach Barb Crill.

In 1973, the Michigan High School Athletic Associa­tion sanctioned the first official season for girl's bas­ketball with its own tournament. In truth, schools had been suiting up girl's teams for years but there had never been a state tournament. Ewen-Trout Creek would be the first team from the U.P. to win a title in 1973 but in 1976, the Marquette girl's team accom­plished something that no other team has done before or since; it won the Class A State Championship.

It was no surprise that the team would do so well. They had reached the state semifinal in 1975 against Farmington Our Lady of Mercy. Marquette's coach Barb Crill felt that the team needed to play teams from outside the U.P. and before the 1976 season, she took the team downstate to scrimmage against other Class A teams. This help the team build its confidence and Crill felt that it was a major reason for the team's later success.

The team was dominant through the regular season, going undefeated and averaging 80.8 points a game to their opponents' 25.2. Its winning ways contin­ued through the playoffs, defeating Escanaba (71-29), Benton Harbor (64-55), Grand Rapids Union (48-34), Lansing Easter (67-37) and Flushing (62-46) in the semifinal. In a rematch with Farmington Our Lady of Mercy in the final, the Redettes were too much to handle, defeating Mercy by the score of 68-41, fin­ishing a dominant undefeated season.

"We wanted that victory not only for the members of the team, but for our coaches, parents and commu­nity." stated team member Kay Levandoski Angeli. "We were not only a team, but a family. Our coaches made it clear and instilled in us that no individual was a star alone."

Marquette Senior High School Prin­cipal, Bill Hart and Coach Barb Crill hold the team’s scrapbook.

Front Row: Karen Levandoski All U.P., Cheryl Aho All U.P., Back Row: Caron Krueger All U.P., All State First Team, Shelly Chapman All U.P., Honorable Mention All State, Janet Hopkins All U.P., All State Third Team.

Images courtesy of Marquette Area Public Schools