Looking Back Fifty Years

March 24, 2021 admin COMMUNITY 0

By Al Rabenold

Where were you the week of March 25, 1971? (#154)

Max Johnston and Norman McKee were among 11 Iowa State Highway Commission personnel honored with 20-year service awards.

Don Gray, a member of the Poweshiek County Conservation Board, is pictured with a tree planter that will be used to plant 20,000 trees in Diamond Lake Park.

CAPTAIN JIM CASEY hoists the 1971 State Basketball trophy as his fellow Braves look on.  The MHS Cheerleaders captured a trophy as well – the first ever Sportsmanship Trophy!
PHOTOS BY ROGER ALLEN

Advertisement in the Republican by Hedrick, Johnson, and Taylor:  “Will the people who stole the parts off our town car please come get the rest.? We’ll help load.”

The State Liquor Store in Montezuma will observe new hours according to manager Foster Pugh.

Southpaw Billy Van Cleave scored 29 points as the Braves defeated Camanche, 78-62, in their state tournament opener.   Then the Braves overcame serious foul trouble to get by Treynor, 57-46, in the semi-finals.

Headlines tell the story:  MONTE BRAVES WIN 1971 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP with 16 pages of tournament coverage touting their state title win over Alta, 68-54, before 14,815 fans at Veterans Auditorium.

VETERANS MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM IN 1971 as the Braves look to clinch the school’s first boys’ state basketball title.  Coaches Tom Tipton, Darrell Brand and Dennis Brand are on the far left.  Players from left to right:  Doug McKinney, Steven Schuldt, Dallas Ferneau, Larry Iverson, Dick Rabenold, Randy Dieleman, Dan Steffy, Mark Baethke, and manager Harold Wheeler.
PHOTOS BY ROGER ALLEN

Montezuma becomes the first town in the state of Iowa to ever have produced both boys and girls state basketball champion teams.

Plans are being made to make the Honor M Banquet the biggest and best ever in recognition of a fantastic athletic year.  Henry Franken will be the master of ceremonies.  U. S. Olympic hopeful, Rick Wanamaker of Marengo, will be the guest speaker.

AWARD WINNING CHEERLEADERS and their fans: Cheerleaders Mary McWilliams, Barb Braley, Karen Baethke, Deb Hutchinson, and Cheryl Bushong won the first ever Sportsmanship Award.
PHOTOS BY ROGER ALLEN.

The Braves all State tournament team captain, Carl Nichols, will be a song leader at the Church of Christ in Grinnell on Sundays.

Bravettes coach, Carroll Rugland, and University of Kentucky coach, Adolph Rupp, were featured speakers at a coaching clinic in Des Moines, sponsored by 7-UP Bottling Company.

Scoutmaster Bob Sanders and his Boy Scout Troop 380 are the recipients of a flag that recently flew over the U. S. Capitol in Washington, D. C.

Airman Duane Ferneau, MHS ’67, a weapons mechanic at K. I. Sawyer AFB, Gwinn, Michigan, serves with a unit of the Strategic Air Command.

Don Ferneau, MHS ’68, has been selected to make the annual spring baseball trip with Central College.

CARL NICHOLS controlled the tip to start the State Championship game vs. Alta played at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines in March of 1971.
PHOTOS BY ROGER ALLEN.