Sheffield High School - Cardinal Yearbook (Sheffield, IL)

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SHEFFIELD FOOTBALL FOR 1947 Sheffield can look back on a very successful 1947 grid season with a total of seven wins and one defeat to make a record of 35 wins out of the last 40 games for Coach Sturm's Cardinals. They chalked up the impressive score of 334 points to their opponents' 47. The local gridders won the non-conference opener with Ohio in a walk-away, 44 to 0. With a backfield that couldn't be overtaken and an impregnable line, Sheffield, under the able tutelage and inspiring leadership of Coach Wayne Sturm and assistant coach Fred Schwind, swept the field in all the following games, snowing Wyanet under in an ignominious 81 to 7 defeat and firmly trimming Neponset on our home field in a 54 to 0 slaughter. Coach Sturm cleaned the bench in the Ohio and Buda games, winning the first 46 to 0 and downing Buda in a field day 74 to 6. Then Sheffield met the very dangerous l..aMoil1e squad, who almost upset Manlius by leading them throughout the game till the last quarter. Again the local boys showed their spirit and ability by winning in a 40 to 0 landslide. This game was sparked by the admirable play of Kenny Dahl, the only four-year varsity letter man on the team. Kenny showed uncanny ability to foresee every enemy attack and stop the plays. He also accounted for six points after re- covering a fumble and running the distance to the end zone. But, even as mighty Rome fell, so Sheffield must-fighting to the last, but bowing to Man- lius on the night of October 31 . . . a losing battle, 27 to 12, in the Little 8 championship game. This game brought to the fore the football ability of Buddy Giltner whose goal line pass defense stemmed many of the Bed Devil advances and assured himself of a place on next year's team. But Manlius, experienced at playing under night lights and boasting a squad, well stocked with reserves, outplayed an undermanned Sheffield team that was playing its first game under the night lights-which fact bothered their famed passing attack and their pass defense. Manlius struck first with a long pass to the end zone. Then Sheffield rebounded as Dave Griffin showed his superb run- ning ability by dodging and twisting his way through the entire Manlius aggregation and tallying six points. Manlius again took the lead with a long pass and after a touchdown pass for Sheffield, heaved by Griffin to Nelsen, Manlius went on to win the game 27 to 12 on a series of passes. But, the sportsmanship and spirit that Coach Sturm had instilled in his team again showed through and they took the defeat in their stride. ln the final game of the season, and perhaps the last football game in the career of the eight senior boys, Sheffield wreaked revenge for their recent defeat and on a bitterly cold November 7 they felled Tiskilwa 27 to 7 to give the Cardinals undisputed second place in the Little 8 conference. The final standings follow: Team- Games Won Games Lost -Total Points Points for Opp. Manlius ......... .... 7 0 353 .37 Sheffield ....... . 6 1 334 47 LaMoille ....... . 5 2 196 129 Tiskilwa ......... . 4 3 187 l 14 Ohio ........... . 3 4 173 172 Wyanet ..... . 2 5 89 257 Buda .................... . 1 5 82 1 388 Neponset ...................... 0 7 47 205 As the first team was never definite during the season, Coach Sturm has named the following as first team letter winners: Kenny Dahl, Tommy Cole, lack Barry, lim Sullivan, Ierry Folk, Verne Moore, Dale Moore, David Griffin, i231 1

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all of whom are Senior students. Letter winners from the lunior class were George Van Loo, Gene Andersen, and Buddy Giltner. Duane Nelson, of the Sophomore class, was also a letter winner. Other members of the squad who gained experience necessary to take the place of the eight retiring Seniors are: Dick Cole, Leonard Lambert, Noel Griffin, Iacob Fox, Ronald Vermeulen, Bill Griffin, Richard Madsen, Brian Rodgers, Robert Schoffstall, and Raymond Lootens. Sheffield had the fastest backfield in the Little 8 with Duane Nelson and Dave Griffin, two track stars, carrying the ball behind the expert blocking of halfback Dale Moore, who also had his share of the ball carrying. lt being necessary in a T formation for the quarterback to be a good passer, Dave Griffin took over the position and connected on many long ones to the glue- fingered ends, lack Barry, ferry Folk, and George Van Loo, and he also carried the ball enough to win top scoring honors in the Little The very important spot of center which requires experience and precision timing was ably filled by the veteran Senior Tommy Cole, whose lrish humor kept the team going in many tight spots. Tommy has been a bulwark in the line for three years and has exhibited outstanding play this season. And only a 'backfield man can know the importance of a good tackle in eight-man football and Sheffield had their share. The tackles in .S-heffield's forward wall were Kenny Dahl, lim Sullivan, Verne Moore, and Gene Andersen, although lim Sullivan was out in the middle of the season because of a ruptured appendix. The line play was sparked by Kenny Dahl, a four-year letter man in football and a constant source of irritation to the opponents as he was in on almost every play. The co-captains for the football season were Dale Moore and Dave Griffin. The team played the following games in the '47 season: We They September l9-Sheffield at Ohio Cnon-conference ....... ...... 4 4 U September 28-Sheffield at Wyanet ..............,.............. ...... 8 l 7 October 3-Neponset at Sheffield ...,.,.................. ...... 5 4 O October 9-Ohio at Sheffield .......... ...... 4 6 O October l7-Sheffield at Buda .......... ...... 7 4 6 October 23-LaMoille at Sheffield ...... ...... 4 U U October 31-Sheffield at Manlius ...,...............................,......,....... 12 27 November 7-Tiskilwa at Sheffield ................................................ 27 7 The Sheffield team had a large following of loyal rooters. The mothers of the football boys gave a very fine banquet for the members of the team and their fathers. The business men of Sheffield sponsored a trip for the entire squad to see the University of lllinois play Western Michigan at Urbana. This was something new for the fellows and they enjoyed it very much. The Senior football boys, under the direction of Coach Sturm, put on an all school party with games and dancing, with refreshments following the fun. Altogether it was a very successful and enjoyable season. Bud Giltner, Duane Nelson Tom Cole, Noel Griffin George Van Loo, ferry Folk Group: Raymond Lootens, lake Fox, Gene Andersen, Dick Cole, Leonard Lambert, Robert Schoffstall, Ronald Vermeulen, Coach Sturm. Richard Madsen, lack Barry, Verne Moore, Tommy Cole, Kenneth Dahl, George Van Loo, Noel Griffin. Duane Nelson, Bud Giltner, Dale Moore, David Griffin, Ierry Folk, Brian Rodgers. Kenneth Dahl, David Griffin, lack Barry, Dale Moore, Verne Moore, Gene Andersen f24l