Gerard Catholic High School - Image Yearbook (Phoenix, AZ)

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STATE BOUND REDCOATS Pete Schwan, TOUCHDOWN! Tom Briehl discusses the plays. GO REDCOAT ! Rick Grimm fades back long. S Larry Zieser running hard.

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The morning of August 18th found forty eager football players on the practice field ready to embark on the com- ing season with their sights set on retaining the AA Championship title. By the time of the season opener with Apache Junction, injuries had cut the squad down to twenty eight. After losing a close one to Apache Junc- tion, the Redcoats bounced back to take the next two games against Cactus and Peoria by thirteen and four- teen points. Led by quarterback Rick Grimm, run- ningback Pete Schwan and receiver John Verdugo, the Ftedcoats then went on to devastate their regular season opponents, racking up a total of 223 points. However, without the fierce and impressive play displayed by the defensive unit led by Briehl, Kirkegaard, Stanton, Grady and Zieser, which begrudgingly allowed only 73 points to be scored against them, all efforts would have been for naught. The Conference was the toughest in recent AA history with five out of eleven teams listed as conference title contenders, but when the dust had settled and last score entered into the record books only one emerged claiming the title as Central Division Champs . . . The Ge- rard Redcoats. All of the sweat, toil and pain of the past season had finally paid off, the Redcoats had earned the right to commence what was to be the hardest part of the season, that of the AA playoffs. Mmmmmmmmmmm John Verdugo thinking, TD Gerard Opponent 12 Apache Junction 14 Cactus 6 Peoria 14 Nogales 20 Independence 0 Gilbert 6 Bourgade 6 Corona del Sol 7 Mingus 0 Globe 0 -Divisionals- Nogales O Cactus 0 -State-- Corona del Sol 23 Pete Schwan with a touchdown. 1' ! r ' N. x, 4 ' X ,id J her fa-gt 2 7 . ,ee N N M' J I 4 ' - 4 Q D 1 X. ,rf r , 0 Ag- .,, f.. 2 . , A S. ,.,, V , - vf-.4 J., N .4 .gi wt . ' ,

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7-0, Fledcoats! The returning state champs would be in the playoffs once again. The Redcoats, with a 9-1 record would return to face three tough teams. We knew it would be a challenge, a challenge we had been looking forward to all year long. The first game ended very quickly as Gerard went to face Nogales and beat them very eas- ily. The next game would decide who would go on to the playoffs. The Fied- coats came up with the victory as Pete Schwan ran 76 yards to put the Ftedcoats in the championship game. Gerard had beat Cactus 6-0 and was on their way with goals set to win their second state title. The Ftedcoats would face Corona del Sol. After beating them once, The Redcoats could taste the victory. They started the game with their heads held high, proud of who they were. After a tough first half, the score 14-14, injuries came to the team, making a difference to Tom Briehl crushes his opponent. John Phoenix assists the team. the outcome of the game. The Ftedcoat's goals were shattered after losing to Co- rona 23-14. We may have lost the title but we have never lost the pride or spirit we displayed as we gave it all that we could. This year's Redcoat team, which fin- ished runnerup in the state, showed much determination and pride. For a team that nobody believed in except for the team itself, they should feel proud that they saw a dream and gave it their all to achieve. Coach John Carroll John Verdugo on the side lines.