Mendota High School - Atodnem Yearbook (Mendota, IL)

Page 29 text:

l-lowever, the football boys began their activity long before fall descended on Mendota. Late in August thorough prepara- tions for another gridiron season began. The sun glared unmer- cifully on the backs of aspiring condidates as they spent hours tackling the dummies, doing calisthenics, learning their positions, and running through plays. Sweat dripped from helmets and jerseys as each player fought determinedly for a coveted place on the squad. As darkness descended on the practice field, a rush for the showers would culminate another day of football. The Mon ster and Pickled Fanny would protrude with arms and legs to the roof as everyone started for town. Evenings spent in the Kitch or Kanteen were usually highlighted by arguments on the relative merits of the single wing and the T. Football completely dominated sixty-five boys of MHS. After school began in September, all eyes turned toward the football teams. Spirited pep sessions before each game proved that the students were behind their teams. The annual Home- coming sponsored by the Student Council brought many old letter winners back to town to view the 1948 version of the Trojan squad.

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Lewis emel Doen iezf l Tezlee tlae elm elf Lon Aweliteel Fall port! Begin b l-IEN THE first leaves began to fall, summer sports were forgotten and the football fever overtook everyone. Vi- sions of a fall evening spent cheering for the Trojans overshadowed everything else. Cares of the world were forgotten as you approached the football field of MHS. The smell of pop corn or of hot coffee, doughnuts, and hot dogs arising from the new stand at the north end of the field lent a tantilizing air to the excitement. The smartly uniformed band gave a stir- ring presentation as they played well-known marches and the school songs. As the strains of the Star Spangled Banner floated over the field, you arose and watched Old Glory slowly rising to preside over another evening of football. Two beaming couches, Lloyixd Do 1 th f h ph Lewis of the varsity, eye t e pro p I f th f h g all season.

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THIRD ROW: Mr. Lewis. M. Ehlers. W. Hochslalter,RR. Mauntel, L. Kramer, D. Truckenbrod. R. Meuley. C. Van Ellen. B. Stremlau, ' . ll' D. Fischer, D. Pedersen, K. Sterchi, L. Gray, Mr o ms SECOND ROW: R. McConville. I. Schwemlein, I. Finley, W. Munson, R. Politscl-l. D. Ryan, K. Slremlau, D. Worsley, M. Worsley. G. Steven- son. A. Wood FIRST ROW: T. Faber, I. Truckenbrod. D. Bauer. R. Walter, D. McConville. G. Karl. E. Ioerger. D. Marcum, L. Lau ouch Tea' Lewif' ' Trojan Mufckmen New helmets and uniforms glittered brightly S THE VARSITY squad grunted and as the team ran onto the field for the opening groaned through intra-squad prace tice and contact drills, a muscular T-shirted figure was busy shouting orders and demonstrating the finer points of football, With a baseball cap perched jauntily over one ear, this dynamo of energy, Coach Ted Lewis, began the tedious task of develop- ing a group of inexperienced boys into a smoothly Working unit. Thirty-five suntanned figures reported for their varsity practice jerseys late in August, but by the end of the season only twenty-nine remained on the team. Of these thirty-five, only five were returning lettermen, but a large number of juniors moved up from last year's frosh-soph team. For the first few days of practice, muscles were sore, and bumps and bruises were plentiful. The extreme heat caused a few players to pass out, but they got no sympathy from their squad members, only envy of their forced rest. Temporary captains were elected before each game by the Trojans, with Keith Sterchi and Les Kramer being named co-captains at the end of the season. game with South Beloit. As the season pro- gressed, the uniforms reflected the attitude of the Trojans as they were trampled in the dust but always went down fighting. ln spite of grim and determined effort on the part of each and every player, the Mendota Trojans ended their season with a record of won l, lost 7, tied l. Here are the gory details: The Trojan eleven were host to South Beloit in their first battle of the season. South Beloit was very highly regarded, but the Trojans came through with flying colors by the score of l8-l3. The next Friday evening the Mendota boys ventured to Amboy but were turned back to the tune of 18-6, Then on September 24 Morris whipped the Trojans 31-U as they ran wild over the Trojan defenses. On October l Geneseo trampled the Mendota eleven in their first conference start 4U-6 in the worst defeat handed to the Trojans in several years. Rock Falls was Mendota's second conference game, in which the Rockets triumphed, 12-U. Sterling defeated the Trojans 29-U on the home field in the next pigskin tilt. Princeton was Men- dota's Homecoming foe but the battling Tro- jans were again downed, 26-U.