echoes.
deacon football
sacred heart academy
Organized Athletics began at Sacred Heart Academy in the fall of 1934, when, through the intercession of Fathers Shannon and Ryan, Howard Ruegamer was secured as coach. At that time a number of uniforms was purchased from Jamestown. No games were scheduled however, and the time was used in drilling the players in the fundamentals of the game and preparing them for the coming seasons.
We honor the memory of those that came before us. These are their stories. This is their legacy.
Howard Ruegamer
1934 -1939
13-10-1*
0-4
1935
Ruegamer
In 1935, Sacred Heart played its first football games. Four games with Casselton, Wahpeton, Enderlin and Breckenridge were scheduled, but the inexperienced Deacons lost every game.
1-?
1936
Ruegamer
The fall of 1936 found the Academy team in new uniforms and gave evidence of great promise, when they lost to the powerful Jamestown Blue Jays by the close score of 18-12. They only managed to win one game during the remainder of the season losing all the rest by the margin of one touchdown.
1937
3-3
Reugamer
The year 1937-38 was the greatest to date in athletic history. The football team won three out of six games played including a victory over St. James High School, who previously had defeated Grand ForksHigh.
The Sacred Heart Academy football team came through the season with a record of three wins end three losses for the most successful season the "Deacons" have had in their three years of football.
The record was considered good despite the fact that Coach Rugeamer was handicapped with inexperience among his players. Bill Clemens captained the team.
Jamestown-55; S.H.A.-7
Weight and inexperience were a great handicap to the Deacons, therefore Jamestown scored almost at will during the game. Joe Papasergia scored the lone touchdown.
Mahnomen 19; S.H.A.-7
Again Secred Heart was outweighed ten pounds a man in the line and twenty in the backfield. The inability of the line to halt the smashes of Frank Waumback was mainly responsible for the defeat.
S.H.A.-25; Lidgerwood-0
A much improved team won their first victory. The feature of the game was the outstanding play of Charles Blake who scored three touchdowns.
S.H.A.-7; St.James-6
In their best game of the season Sacred Heart sprang an outset against St. James Academy. After St. James' quarterbeck "Spook" Webb had scampered over the line on a pass, James Fletcher intercepted a loose ball and ran 70 yards to score. Fred Saefke plunged over for the point after touchdown which proved to be the winning point.
S.H.A.-7; Crookstown-0
The third straight victory of the season was a defensive battle all through the game. Neither team could pick up much yardage, although Bill Stevenson made quite consistent gains throughout the game.
Pelican Rapids-19; S.H.A.-6
In the final game of the '37 season the Deacons were handed a severe defeat at the hands of a smooth working Pelican Rapid's team. James Fletcher jaunted fifteen yards for the only Deacon score. The following players performed for the lest time for the Academy: Jerome Bougie, Bill Clemens, Bill Palmer, Frank Feldhusen, and Cliff Cossette.
1938
1-4-1
Rugamer
The Academy football squad which numbered somewhere in the neighborhood of
twenty, invaded enemy territory on September 11, as they prepared to tussle with the
Jamestown High Blue Jays. The Academy team outweighed and outplayed during the
entire game, went down in defeat to the tune of 33-0.
From this point the fighting Deacons gave what might be termed a “Sham” battle as
they held Lidgerwood to a scoreless tie. Whether it was the result of the previous weeks
beating or the overconfidence of our squad cannot be determined. ‘The playing on both
sides was ragged and the Deacons gave no sign at all of the standard of football they were
able to play.
Whereas no victory was gained out of the initial encounters it Presented Coach
Reugamer the chance of improving our offense to the highest possible degree. The first
move he made was the devising of a play by which Hockridge, our right tackle, moved
into the end position and became an eligible pass receiver. The advantage in thie was of
course Hockridge’s height which enabled him to make catches that the other ends could
not parallel. Another point that might also be mentioned here was the loss of Bob Weiser
at left tackle. Bob was such a grand player that Ruegamer had a hard time replacing him.
The Enderlin-Sacred Heart tilt was probably the best played game that the Deacons
had a hand in throughout the entire season. The first half ended with the score 7-6, our
touchdown having resulted in the individual play of Saefke and Cossette. As the second
half opened Enderlin, making a quick touchdown thrust, increased their side of the score
by 7 points and left us on the short end of a 14-6 score. Completed passes by Fletcher to
Blake and Hockridge brought about the result of Saefke’s lugging the ball over for our
second touchdown of the afternoon. Here our offensive struggles were check-mated when
after bringing the ball to the one-foot line the referee was kind enough to remind us that
the game was over.
The Deacons now migrated for Grand Forks where another annual struggle was
awaiting them with St. James Academy. The Academy of Sacred Heart was well repre-
sented not only by a cheering squad led by Jerry Clarey but a new mode of traveling which
was exhibited by Jim Beaton and Gordie Teigen as they steamed the whole distance in a
Model T. While the action closely resembled that of the Lidgerwood game and we were
again held scoreless the teams were more evenly matched and made the game more interest-
ing both to watch and to play.
HOMECOMING
It was only fitting and proper that another Catholic School should help celebrate our
Homecoming which meant so much to us. So with this thought in mind Coach Ruegamer
invited Crookston Cathedral as our opponent in this all important tilt. Festivities for the
Homecoming began the Thursday night before the game with a huge bonfire erected at
the rear of the school. All the students and many of the parents were present and were
reassured by team members that they would be rewarded the following day by a victory.
‘The day of the game proved to be an ideal day for a football game and the entire student
body was there to see the team keep the promise that they had given the previous night.
The Crookston team arrived on the scene of action about one-half hour late but it only
made our boys that much more impatient for the opening kickoff.
Sacred Heart started fast and in the first quarter showed that they meant business as
George Cossette went across the goal line for the first touchdown of the game. Towards
the end of the second quarter Bill Stephenson duplicated Cossette’s feat and went across
for another score and the half ended 13-0, an unlucky score for Crookston,
As the second half was just under way, Cossette passed to Blake for the Deacon's
third counter of the afternoon. At this point Ruegamer substituted freely, every man on
the squad seeing action. But when Crookston thought they would find the going easy,
John Weed broke loose and ran wild through the entire Crookston team for a 55 yard touch-
down jaunt. Much of the Crookston team’s grand spirit was lost by this time and Fletch-
er found it easy to find marks for his passes as two more touchdowns were reeled off. The
game ended 39-0 and the teams promise had been more than fulfilled. This victory crown-
ed the first real Homecoming of the Deacon's with success.
Fletcher, Blake, Hockridge, Gruchalla, Saefke, Erickson, and Murray played their
last football game for Sacred Heart against the powerful Pelican Rapids outfit which
trampled the Deacons to a 12-0 defeat. The Deacons defense was well although they
gave many serious scoring threats, the most dangerous came in the first quarter when a
touchdown was called back because of an offside. The Deacons seemed to play in cycles
throughout the year; one good game and then one bad game and in that style through the
whole schedule,
1939
8-1*
Ruegamer
North Dakota State Football Champions.
Starting the 1939 season with a squad of 26 men, Coach Rugamer saw a good season ahead.
Although Bud was taken to the hospital before the first game, the team was whipped into great
shape by our able assistant coaches, John LaPorte and Buzz Rosatti.
To start the season the Deacons met the Blue Jays at Jamestown. Here the team suffered is
only defeat of the season, losing 7 to 0.
The Deacons, having improved their offense, came back to defeat a rather stubborn little Lidger-
wood team, 12 to 0.
Sacred Heart next went to Enderlin where they finally downed a strong eleven, 12 to 0.
In the next game, Sacred Heart's homecoming, preceded by a bonfire and pep rally, and followed
by the victory dance, the Deacons staved off St. James’ aerial attack to win, 13 to 0.
Playing on their home field again, the Deacons ran over a weak Fairmount team, 51 to 0.
Moving to foreign soil, the Academy, in what was probably the toughest battle of the season,
beat the hard-fighting Crookston Cathedral team, 12 to 6.
Playing in the snow, the Deacons defeated Linton High at Bismarck, 41 to 0, to win the
district championship.
Going north to Grand Forks, Sacred Heart downed Rugby, 20 to 0, to win the Regional
Championship. The half was a see-saw affair, but when the curtain had rung down, Rugamer,
Stephenson and Co. left little doubt as to which was the superior team.
In the final game of the season, playing for the state championship, the Deacons met the strong,
heavy Kenmare team at Fessenden. It looked like the game would end in a scoreless tie, but when
the whistles and cheering had ceased the score was 6 to 0 and Sacred Heart was crowned North
Dakota Class B Champions.
John Callahan
1940-1941
14-5
1940
7-2*
Callahan
North Dakota State Football Champions.
Winning seven out of nine games, the Sacred Heart football team, under a new coach and new system, chalked up its second consecutive N. D. Class B Championship.
With a week's practice under their belts, Coach Callahan, a former St. John's athlete, tried out the Notre Dame system of a T formation against a strong St. Cloud Cathedral team—the score 18-0 for the St. Clouders.
Led by Gidge Cossette, who scored all three touchdowns, the Academy team won its first game, 19-0, over Lidgerwood.
After holding the Jamestown team to a lone touchdown in '39, the Deacons held down the short end of a 27-7 count this season.
Whipping into top shape, the Academy team defeated an old rival, St. James, 26-6, at Grand Forks on St James’ homecoming.
Surprised by Fairmont’s unpredicted strength, the Fargoan’s led out a 7-6 decision after a hectic afternoon for Coach Callahan but a thrilling one for the spectators.
Enderlin remained the only stumbling block in the way before the team entered the district playoffs, but the Academy played “heads-up” ball and won, 12-6.
Much excitement ran havoc among the spectators as the La Moure team and the Deacons took the field for the District playoffs. With La Moure dubbed a slight favorite over the Deacons, Gidge Cossette and his cohorts quickly erased any doubt of the superior team by piling up a 19-0 count.
The Cavalier fams saw a Deacon team with their backs to the wall November 2 when
they played Cavalier at Cavalier for the right to meet Beach in the state finals, and saw them come back in the last period, after being led in the first half, 6-0, to run and pass two touchdowns over the pay stripe and putting up such a stubborn defense as to stop two Cavalier threats. The score ended, 13-6.
With a 35-mile-an-hour wind sweeping across a field covered with 10 inches of snow, the mercury down to 3 below zero, a vision of a gold football in the trophy case at home, with '39 on it, looking so lonesome for a mate, the parting words of Mother Camillus to"bring home the championship ringing in their ears, the Deacons took the field without a whimper and quickly overpowered a bewildered and frost-bitten Beach eleven to win the second championship in two years.
1941
7-3*
Callahan
North Dakota State Football Champions.
With a veteran squad of twelve lettermen, the Sacred Heart gridders marched to their third consecutive State Class B Football Championship by virtue of seven class B wins.
For the first time in the school’s history, Sacred Heart opened its grid season with
its inter-city rival, Fargo High. With a lack of experience shown on both sides, Fargo High led by its All-State fullback, Bob Greenhalgh, won a hard fought battle 12-6. The following Friday the Deacons opened their class B schedule with an 18-6 victory over the Fairmount High Pheasants.
After the first class B win of the new season, the Deacons played their annual game with their Catholic rivals from Minnesota, St. Cloud Cathedral. The game was a one-sided affair with Cathedral High winning 24-0.
The last defeat of the season came the following week when the Barnesville Trojans handed a 20-12 defeat to the Deacon eleven,
Coming back to their North Dakota foes, the Deacons won an 8-0 decision over a highly praised class B Hillsboro team and started a winning streak which was to bring them their third straight championship.
Whipping into top shape, the Academy team went on to defeat their old rival, Enderlin, 7-0. Continuing their
winning streak with a 38-0 victory over a game but outclassed St. James team, the Deacons earned the right to compete in the Class B Play Offs.
PLAY OFF GAMES
The 1941 district play offs pitted Sacred Heart against a strong LaMoure team.
The game, a hard fought battle all the way, ended with a 13-6 win for the Academy. The victory over LaMoure gave the Deacons the right to play Carrington High for the regional title. This game played n sub-zero weather on a snow-covered field, was by far the toughest class B game the Deacons encountered during the 1941 season. The 6-0 victory came as the result of a fumbled ball behind the Carrington line, which Jim Blake, Deacon End, fell on for the winning marker.
Before the largest crowd in the history of Sacred Heart football, a confident Deacon eleven romped over the strong but out- played Hettinger Black Devils 25-0 to win their third consecutive class B championship.
FOUR DEACONS HONORED
With the season drawing to a close, Sacred Heart received more laurels when four players were named on the mythical
All State Class B Team. Three of these men being seniors, Bob Diemert, Jim Blake, and Dan Flynn, were lettermen for
the past three years. The fourth, a junior and a two-year letterman, Phil McManus, will be back next year to captain the team.
1942
0-0
No Coach
Due to world war II curtailments and inability to obtain an athletic coach. The 1942 season was not played. Instead the athletes participated in "Military Calisthenics"
Ted Campagna
1943-1944
6-6-3
1943
2-3-2
Campagna
COACH CAMPAGNA
alumnus of Mayville Teachers College and St. Mary’s High School of Bismarck, and also the present sports-
caster for WDAY. “Ted” with his new squad and new is really the word for it. With only one veteran to count on and
a score of green but ambitious underclassmen, he began practice September 8. After the team drilled for
a week, the season was started with a 27-0 win for Fargo High (Class A Champs), with the Midgets re-
ceiving two very cheap touchdowns.
The next week the team traveled down the river to meet Wahpeton, who came from behind to win over the Sacred Heart
lads 20-6. The red and white team wasn’t winning but it was improving. After seven days and a long trip,
the Deacons were again upset at Pelican Rapids, mainy because three regulars were out. The score at the
final gun was 20-0.
After a juggling of positions and players, and with the forward wall strengthened, the
squad trampled the Moorhead second team to a 27-0 win, the first of the season.
The following Friday the Deacons were held to a 7-7 tie by the second team of Fargo High. The team then went on the road, and at Grand Forks, the St. James ‘Jimmies’ were overrun with a 26-0 workout for Sacred Heart. Gaining
momentum, the boys took on their third Class ‘A’ opponent of the season, and after a
stiff ground attack they were stopped at 0-0 to end a strong season.
But the coach and the players are not so concerned about the outcome of this season as they are about their championship next fall.
1944
4-2-1
Campagna
Football season held a new thrill at Sacred Heart Academy this year, as the Deacons saw their first year in Class A competition.
After an explosive start in beating Fargo High Midgets 13-6, only to lost the game later on a technicality, the Deacons were defeated by a stubborn Wahpeton eleven on a 7-0 count. The following week the Deacons got back in the win column with a decisive 40-0 win over Pelican Rapids.
On October 6, the “Fighting Deacons” again tasted defeat, this time at the hands of the rugged Dilworth gridders.
Concordia college’s all-civilian team held the Deacons to a 12-12 tie on October 14, in a game which, although not regularly scheduled, showed the Deacons playing their best ball of the season.
SHA’s gridders climaxed a perfect homecoming day by pushing St. James of Grand Forks, their traditional rivals, for a 26-6 victory.
The Deacon’s refused to let a technicality keep them from a conference win by toppling Valley City’s Hi-Liners 14-7 on a snow-covered gridiron, The victory over Valley City gave the Deacons a 3rd place berth in the Southeast district.
Jerry Moriarty
1945-1946
5-8
1945
3-4
Moriarty
“Jerry” Moriarty, our new coach, gathered the boys together on September 1, for
their first practice. There were nine returning lettermen to bolster up the squad. After a
grueling practice for two weeks, they played their first game on September 14, against
their old rivals—Fargo Hi Midgets.
Although the Deacons outplayed the Midgets, they lost by the close margin of 6 to 0.
Ten days later, the Deacons took a beating from a powerful Jamestown team, losing 26
to 0.
The Deacons soon changed their tactics and beat a strong Wahpeton eleven on
September 28 by a 13 to 6 margin. Rolland Savageau, speed Deacon back, made a spec-
tacular 67 yard run to score in the first period. In the last quarter, Larry Kelly fired a
15 yard pass to Bill Ridley in the end zone.
Sacred Heart, with five men from the first string out with injuries, lost to a fast
moving Dilworth team, by a score of 28 to 7 on ‘October 5. The Deacons only touchdown
came in the first period as a result of the brilliant running of Rolland Savageau and a
touchdown plunge by Tom Fowler.
SHA ruined the Fergus Falls Homecoming on October 12 by overpowering the Otters
6 to 0. Dick Rerick scored the only touchdown in the second period by a line plunge after
Tom Fowler had carried the ball to the one foot line.
The Deacons trounced St. James Academy of Grand Forks by a score of 20 to 0
on October 19, to keep up their tradition of beating the Jimmies. Scoring two touch-
downs, Rolland Savageau, co-captain and half-back, was the man of the day, and a beau-
tiful pass from Johnny McMullen in the end zone clinched the game.
The Homecoming festivities at SHA were somewhat spoiled as a result of the Dea-
cons’ loss to husky St. Cloud Cathedral squad by a score of 13 to 6 on October 31. The
Deacons were proud to have scored against such a large and prominent team.
At the close of the season, records showed that the Deacons had won three and
lost four games against tough competition.
1946
2-4
Moriarty
S.H.A.’s football squad got off to a late start this year due to the polio epidemic.
but it wasn’t until October 12, that the Deacons were able to make their debut.
Forty-one candidates reported to coach Jerry Moriarty, seven of these were returned lettermen.
First on the Deacons schedule was Park River, but weather conditions forced a cancellation.
The Deacons met Fergus Falls on October 12 and were defeated 26-6, It was the Deacons first encounter while
Fergus had the experience of two games behind them.
Homecoming was marred by defeat dealt to the Deacons at the hands of the St. James Academy of Grand
Forks, This marked the first defeat handed to the Deacons by the Jimmies in the football history of the two schools.
The next week the Red and White journeyed to Barnesville to get their first taste of victory in a 20-0 set-to.
The margin could have been greater but Coach Moriarty substituted freely, A strong wind was a handicap to both
teams, Jerry Murphy, quarter-back, 49 reached the pay dirt in the first quarter, while Morry Doyle “48” full-back
played over for the extra point. John McMullen’s fancy 40 yard run paid off.
Highlight of the season was the tussle with Fargo High Oct... 26. The Sacred Heart Eleven with T.N.T. power
and fire charge blasted over touchdowns in the opening and final periods to defeat the Midgets 14-0, Co-Captain
Dick Rerick "47" full back paced the Deacons. Besides plunging over for two points, he picked up needed yardage
and conservatively got half of the Deacons tackles. The spot passing of McMullen to Jim Romanick and Co-
Captain Bill Weiler contributed much.
The squad travelled to St. Cloud Oct, 31 and fought a losing battle ending with 25-0. Quarter-back, John
O'Brien's passing gave the Deacons plenty of support. One of O'Briens plays found its way into the arms of Bill
Weiler for 30 yards.
Wahpeton’s 13-6 triumph over the Red and White on Nov. 8, ended the football season.
Co-Captain Bill Weiler, Deacon end and John McMullen half-back, gained honorable mention on the all
state team,
Leo Lacher
1947
3-3-1
1947
3-3-1
Lacher
Opening the season with a new Coach, Leo Lacher, and good material, the Deacons rolled over
Moorhead 20-7. The Deacons were behind in the first quarter, but came back in the second and
third quarters to win the game. The running of the Deacons’ touchdown twins, Dave Pease, °48,
and North Cornforth, ’49, plus work of the line was outstanding.
In a thrill-packed, pass-packed game SHA gridders won out over Fargo 12-6. John O’Brien’s
passing plus the combined work of the line and backfield won the game for the Deacons. The
team spent most of its time in Fargo territory but was unable to push across any more touch-
downs. Fargo, which spent most of its time in the fourth quarter passing, came through with its
6 points on a long pass from Leis to Mikelson.
The two-week lay-off between the Fargo and Wahpeton games seems to have been a cooling
off period for the Deacons. The “Wops” took the third game from the Deacons 34-13. Gary Carr
stood out for the Wops; his running was ‘the dominating factor in the Deacon defeat. Although the
score was decisive, the SHA team played good football.
Traveling to Park River the red and white again tasted victory defeating the “Aggies” 37-0.
The weaker Park River team was outclassed by the powerful Deacons. Running and passing were
highlighted in this game; once again the combination of O’Brien’s passing and Dave Pease’s catch-
ing clicked and this time for 3 touchdowns. The line play was outstanding.
Once again the Deacons hit the losing column, being defeated by Fergus Falls 31-20 in a game
in which just about everything that can happen in football happened. Long runs and great line play
featured the game. Fast-breaking Tine plays and the hard plunging of backfield made this game
one which the players and spectators talk about, and many of them are still wondering why the
Deacons lost this one. Big John Wallerius bottled up the Fergus power plays and turned in an
outstanding job at tackle for Sacred Heart.
St. James made it two years in a row defeating the Deacons 25-7. The Deacon attack was
sluggish and everything the team tried to pull seemed to backfire. A new feature of this game
is the Knute Rockne trophy which will be given to the winning team each year. The trophy was
given to Father Hylden of St. James by Frank Leahy of Notre Dame.
Homecoming, the last game of the year was played in mud and rain, the Deacons and Valley
City Hi-Liners fighting it to a 0-0 tie. The SHA gridders had shifted their attack to the “T” for-
mation. The fast running of this type of play was lagged by the mud and mire, but Cornforth’s
quarterbacking was outstanding. i
The Deacons had their best year in Class A competition winning 2, losing 1, and tying 1.
Sid Cichy
1948-1949
10-5-1
1948
5-3
Cichy
Sid Cichy, former NDAC football star, has replaced Leo Lacher as head coach and athletic director here at SHA. Leo is now basketball coach at St. Mary’s College, Winona, Minnesota.
Sid was born in Kent, Minnesota, but went to high school in nearby Breckenridge, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. In 1940 he was a member of the Breckenridge high school
basketball team which won the state championship. North Dakota State was the next stop for Sid. He was there
for two years and then enlisted in the Naval Air Corps. After three and one-half years service, mostly in the Pacific, Sid got his discharge and came back to his Alma Mater to complete his work
for his Master’s degree in physical education. Sid was first-string tackle on the °46 and °47 Bison elevens and was active in many school functions,
While still in the navy, he married Elaine Knutson, and they now have three children: Michael, 4; Kathleen, 3; and Margaret, 2.
He started the Lettermen’s Club on a campaign which brought in much badly needed money, and a!so gave support to all our athletics. Classes in boxing, gymnastics, and a volley ball team have all been organized under Sid’s guiding hand.
Under the reins of our new coach, Sid Cichy, the Deacons started a successful football
season by trimming the highly-touted Fargo High Midgets 13-6 in a grueling battle at Dacotah
Field. North Cornforth scored in the second period on a pass interception, while the second
counter was made by Mark Sweeney late in the third quarter. The Red and White were
impressive with good line play and nice ball handling.
The Deacons then made it two in the same week by trouncing the Moorhead Spuds 18-0
and thus becoming inter-city champions. Touchdowns were made by Mark Sweeney, Ron
Krupich, and Andy Sullivan in the muscle tussle at Dacotah Field.
The Wahpeton Wops again ended our winning streak as they piled up an impressive 34-0
score in a night game at the A.C. The Deacons just couldn't seem to get going, and Wahpeton
capitalized on every break, turning it into points. Bob Bartholomay was Wahpeton’s big boy
for the evening, making four out of the five touchdowns.
Bouncing back from the previous week’s defeat, the fighting Deacons racked up their
highest point total of the season by trampling St. Marys of Bismarck with a decisive score of
33-0. Halfback Cornforth hit pay dirt standing up twice in the first half, and both of Pat
Colliton’s tries for placement were good, making a half-time score of 14-0. Andy Sullivan,
North Cornforth, and Al Tessier all tallied for the Red and White in the second half.
The Deacons once again went into a slump, taking it this time from the Fergus Falls Otters
to the tune of 19-0. Otter Jim Henkes made the first two touchdowns, and one of their tries
for the extra point was good, making a halftime score of 13-0. Hub Hovland went over
from the two to make the final score 19-0,
Putting on a terrific display of defensive agility in the second half, Sacred Heart’s Deacons
fought back from a halftime deficit of 14-13 to nip the Park River Aggies 19-14. First half
touchdowns for the Red and White were both in the first period, while the Aggies got their
only two in the second quarter. The winning points for the Deacons came in the third period
ona fake reverse with Cornforth going over. The Aggies showed a lot of fight and power in
their appearance here.
Climaxing Homecoming festivities was the Deacons 13-6 victory over St. James Academy
of Grand Forks here on October 22, Sacred Heart pulled everything in the book, completing
five out of seven passed, one good for a dramatic last period touchdown. The Jimmies got
their lone score in the third quarter on an end run. In the final period Roger Flynn, catching
a pass from Andy Sullivan went over untouched, while North Cornforth booted the extra
point to rack up the first seven points. Sacred Heart then drove the ball down the field, and
Cornforth scored from the 1, to make it 13-6.
Playing on a mud soaked field, the Deacons lost their final game of the year to the Valley
City Hi Liners of Valley City 19-6. Valley City’s offense was sparked by long runs which later
led to pay mud. In the closing minutes of the encounter halfback Bud Cornforth sprinted 65
yards to a Deacons score.
Sacred Heart had their best year in Class A competition winning 3, losing 2.
1949
5-2-1
Cichy
The Deacons have had a pretty successful football season, losing only twice, once to Moorhead in
a pre-school game and once to the Valley City Highliners in our homecoming game.
Under the expert assistance of Coach Sid Cichy, and assistant coach, Bob Hannish, the Deacons
followed their loss to Moorhead by trouncing the Fargo High School Midgets for the fourth straight
year, 13-2.
Following their co-captains Willy Conmy and Charley Jaeb, the Deacons traveled to Wahpeton
and beat the Wops 13-6.
Next to fall beneath the advancing Deacons eleven was Park Rapids to the tune 6-0.
Coming “home” to the NDAC field, the Deacons defeated a Jamestown powerhouse in an even-
ing game 14-18.
Two fighting evenly matched teams, Park River’s Walsh County Aggies and Sacred Heart’s Dea-
cons fought to a 0-0 tie in a thrilling evening game October 14.
Knute Rockne returned to the Sacred Heart trophy case on October 23 following the Deacons’
triumph over St. James Academy of Grand Forks. Frank Leahy personally presented the trophy to our
co-captains at the Downtown Quarterback Club’s annual banquet at which Mr. Leahy, Notre Dame
coach, was principal speaker.
Last came the miserable loss to the Valley City Highliners. Ron Wallin led the attack, beating the
Deacon eleven in their homecoming game 27-0.
The Deacons won six games of their eight-game schedule, proving themselves one of the best teams
in the state. Great credit should be given to All-Staters Wally Conmy, Charley Jaeb, Andy Sullivan,
and Larry Sweeney, and the two coaches, Sid Cichy and Bob Hannish.
