Memories abound in Newton football lore

By ANDREW POTTER NDN Sports Writer - Friday, August 3, 2007

 

Newton football has had its ups and downs, but area fans have stuck with the team since play began in 1903. Two state titles stick out in 1952 and 1980, but there were several other key teams and players that kept up the interest in Cardinal football and the spirit of the fans. Newton football historian and statistician Tom Weeks first came to the stadium in the early 1950s as a small child. If he didn’t witness a moment in Cardinal history, he’s read about it and can rattle off fact-by-fact at the drop of a hat. “My wife Susan says my head consists of 65 pages of useless information,” joked Weeks, who was head manager of the team in 1965 and 1966.

Weeks recalled the most fans he’s ever seen pack in H.A. Lynn Stadium. It was a 1977 playoff game against Sioux City Heelan, which had an estimated crowd of between 10,000 and 11,000 fans. Weeks said the stands were packed full and fans stood around the field about 20 deep. “I came out six hours before the game and was lucky enough to get a seat,” Weeks said. The Cardinals won the game and eventually lost in the championship game against Davenport West that season. Weeks noted that was a key season to bring the program out of the doldrums in the late 1960s and early 70s. “This town just went nuts that year,” Weeks said. “As a fan, I’ll never forget it.”

Three seasons later in 1980, the Cardinals took home their second state title. Other teams stick out in Cardinal history, like the 1926 team that gave up just six points all season and went 6-1-2 with two scoreless ties. The teams of the late 1980s and early 90s may not have won a title but they reached the championship game in 1988 and 1990 and kept the program strong. With great teams come great players, like Treye Jackson, the lightning-quick running back on the 1980 team. “Treye was a huge factor on the 1980 team and he was one of the best sprinters in the nation,” Weeks said of Jackson, who still holds the Class 4A state track meet record in the 100-meter dash at 10.5 seconds. Jackson came up clutch in the playoff semifinal win over Dowling Catholic. “Treye had two big long runs and we shut down an extremely good Dowling team,” Weeks said.

Weeks said overall the best player he has seen was Chad Guthrie, who rushed for 1,965 yards and 32 touchdowns in 1988, both still school records. Bernard Page was one of the first big stars for Newton, playing in the 1920s and eventually also playing for Iowa. Several defensive players donned the Cardinal colors, but Weeks noted defensive statistics are hard to track down over the years. One player that stuck out in 1966 was hard-hitting linebacker Dave Clement, who went on to play for Iowa. Clement also played fullback and was the team’s leading rusher and leading tackler.

The great coaches to lead the Cardinals included W.L. Eidahl, Frank Gilson and John Jenkins. Jenkins leads the pack with all-time wins, sporting a 143-41-1 record, Gilson compiled an 82-27 record and Eidahl was 73-23-9 at the helm of the Cardinals. Current coach Ed Ergenbright took over for Jenkins and has compiled a 24-14 record the past four seasons. Weeks considers Dick Stiles one of the best assistant coaches ever to impart his knowledge on the Cardinals. Weeks talked about undersized Newton offensive lines able to open holes with Stiles’ teachings. He was the best in the business,” Weeks said.

Weeks wasn’t around for the 1920s, but has read about one of the first road trips in a bus, which was a three hour trip to Colfax. The team left for the 2 p.m. game at 10 a.m. and just got there in time due to muddy roads. Road trips previously were made by train and the schedule reflected it as several games were along the rail line, including many trips to Iowa City. Five games in 1918 were cancelled due to an influenza outbreak. “Newton was quarantined,” Weeks said. So many more names and teams could be included in the more than 100 years of Newton football, and so many more names and memories have yet to be made.