Thorp High School - Seniorian Yearbook (Thorp, WI)

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HOMECOMING GAME Football Under the direction of Coach I-Ialdy, who has proved himself to be one of the outstanding football coaches in Northern Wisconsin, the Thorp Cards began pre-season football practice on August 18. Though the number of candidates to report was small, the boys were willing to work and make sacrifices necessary for a winning team. For three weeks they practiced, doing tiresome calisthenics and drills with spirit and determination. This hard work in the summer was soon to prove its worth in the coming season. Sparked by the outstanding efforts of our Captain, Jake Phillips, we became the first team in the history of Thorp High School to come through a football season undefeated and untied. During this spectacular season, which was high- lighted by a 26 to 0 win over our arch-rival, Stanley, Thorp had the honor of placing two players on the All-State Honor Rolls. Nearly every week the name of Jake Phillips could be found on this list of star performers in the State. Harley Nerdrum, next years captain, also received mention on the list of Honor winners. -' At the end of the season Phillips was placed on the Eau Claire Leader's All-Northwest grid team. Harley Nerdruni and Tom Qualle also received mention. SEPTEMBER 12 - In our first game of the 1952 season we journeyed to Osseo where we started out our season with a 19 to 6 win over a strong Osseo team. The first touchdown of the season was scored when Gus Haas, Thorp's outstanding fullback, crack- ed over in the first few minutes of play. Phillips converted to make the score 7-0. Qualle got a TD in the second period and Phillips added a clincher in the third. SEPTEMBER 18 - Entering conference play at Cornell, the Thorpmen rolled up an impressive 27 to 7 win. Thorp marched for a score the first time they got their hands on the ball with Tom Qualle going the last 20 yards into paydirt. Jake Phillips gave the fans a thrill they will never forget when he broke loose on a quarterback sneak and raced 60 yards for a touchdown. Phillips and Qualle each added another marker and Phillips kicked three out of four conversions. SEPTEMBER 25 - In the first game on our home field the now red-hot Cards downed a stubborn Inde- pendence team 28 to 6. Jake Phillips had another spectacular night as he scored one touchdown and kicked all four extra points. Gus Haas gave the fans something to cheer about when he carried half the Independence team over the goal line from 25 yards out. Tom Qualle broke loose on a 45 yard scoring jaunt and later he passed to end Harley Nerdrum for another TD. N erdrum's touchdown came on the play called H27 running pass, which became a stand- ard in the games to come. OCTOBER 2 - Disaster for Owen! With Jake Phillips and Tom Qualle setting the pace and a mar- velous line doing a clean up job up front, Thorp sent Owen home with a 51 to 0 defeat. Phillips start- ed the whole thing out when he made a beautiful 80 yard touchdown return of the opening kickoff. Jake scored twice more on runs of 11 and 53 yards, and kicked three extra points. Qualle also scored three times on runs of 3, 10, and ci14fyards anddflipiqnid a scoring pass to Ner rum goo or 45 yar s. e game was highlighted in the final quarter when Len Zukowski burst through center for a 45 yard touch- down run and became Mr, Touchdown. OCTOBER 10 - Thorp beats Gilman 1 to 0. fforfeitj Page Forty-eight

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Top Picture - STARTING LINEUP Backlield: Gene Zaske, James Haas, Captain Gerald Phillips, Tom Qualle. Line: Roger Turenne, jack Dallas, Leonard Zukowski, Edward Ciolkosz, Donray Izyilorek, Byron Bogumill, Harley Nerdrum. Bottom Picture f SENIORS First Row: Donald Dobrzynski, Jack Dallas, Francis Grabon. Richard Vanderhyden. Second Row: Captain Gerald Phillips, Edward Haas, James Haas, Tom Qualle. Page Forty-seven

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Football OCTOBER 16 - Cadott, displaying a fine brand of football, came as close as anybody could to the Rampaging Redmen as they bowed 21 to 6. Thorp scored the first time they had the ball, marching from our own 43 to the Cadott 2 where big Gus Haas powered over. Phillips converted to make it 7-0. Taking to the air for the second touchdown, Phillips passed to Turenne from twelve yards out and Rog stepped into the end zone. Passing again, Phillips hit Qualle on a play covering 45 yards and scoring. Phillips converted both times to make it 21. OCTOBER 23 - STANLEY! Thorp journeyed to Stanley in one of the most publicized games in the State. Both teams were unbeaten and both teams boasted speedy backfields and stalwart lines. Stanley received and after an exchange of punts which put the Orioles deep in our territory the stubborn Thorp line began to hold. Then Harley Nerdrum saved the day for the Cards when he recovered a Stanley fumble on our 5 yard line. With Qualle and Phillips throwing, Thorp marched in the second period for a score. Qualle went six yards around end to the 2 and cracked over on the next play making it six to nothing. Near the end of the half Phillips made a beautiful interception of a Stanley pass and re- turned it 39 yards to the Stanley 21, but Stanley held at that point. Both teams were scoreless in the third quarter but in the final period Thorp began to roll. With Phillips sparking a touchdown drive Thorp scored on Gene Zaske's pass to Harley Nerdrum. Zaske scored on a short buck over center and the final counter came on a pass from Qualle to Zaske in the end zone. The Thorp line played the best game of the season against Stanley. To try to name the wonderful plays exhibited by our linemen would iill ten pages. OCTOBER 31 - Homecoming Day 1952! The un- defeated Cards made it a perfect season before a large homecoming crowd by trouncing Neillsville 52 to 0. It was a perfect afternoon for football and Thorp proved it by displaying some of the best foot- ball seen around here as far back as anyone can remember. Homer Vanderhyden blocked a punt early in the game and on the first Thorp play from scrimmage Tom Qualle raced 17 yards and scored. The rout was on! In the course of the game Phillips and Qualle scored and passed for touchdowns almost at will. Tom scored four touchdowns and Jake three and they each passed for two more. The last score came when Qualle, appearing to be trapped, raced back the way he had come and iiipped to Gordie Hansen in the end zone. The rugged Thorp line, with Jack Dallas doing a terrific job at backer-up, held Neillsville without a first down and a minus seven yards rushing. Congratulations to Coach Haldy and the boys on a job well done and a host of records for Thorp teams to shoot at in the future. CLOVERBELT CHAMPIONSHIP FOOTBALL TROPHY Page Forty-nine '