“It really takes at least two years of junior varsity competition before you can expect to be ready for varsity level.” – Frank Davis
The 1970 Season – It’s Time!
Football at FH
Frank Davis, Football coach at
Prospects for the upcoming season should attend a meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. at the local high school gymnasium.
Actual practice is set to begin the following morning on the gridiron.
By Jerry Stack
…. The outlook also is brighter at Francis Howell than it was a year ago.
Coach Frank Davis has lost Dennis Auping for the season with a broken collarbone and halfback Terry Kasper will be out four to six weeks because of a bone chip in his foot, but things are looking up.
Last year was Howell’s first of varsity competition and the team finished 2-5.
“We figure that we can go .500 this season,”
“And I figure Wentzville to be the No.1 independent – if they pass the tax levy.”
Returning Lettermen
FRANCIS HOWELL (19) – Ends Rich Cates, Tom Gallagher; Tackles Terry Weis, Jim Grimes; Guards Rob Grace, Kevin Oberdick,
The Daily Banner-News, September 3, 1970
Early injuries hinder Francis Howell Plans
By Mike Gothberg
Saturday morning, twelve cripples showed up for the start of the second week of football practice at
“We’re short on depth,” was the Vikings’ head coach’s first comment when asked about the upcoming season. That figures, with 12 already out due to injuries.
Francis Howell did, however, find 72 boys at their first practice and since then, the Vikes have cut their roster to 40, twenty of those being returning letterman.
The Vikings open with Owensville on September 12, one of two teams they defeated last year. Howell finished the season in 1969 with a 2-5 mark.
Coach Davis, who doubles as athletic director at the high school near Weldon Spring, pointed out that “out defense is looking real good right now. They’re way ahead of the offense.”
He added, “If we can keep our opponents from scoring, and get our offense clicking we should be in good shape.”
“He doesn’t have a quick release but does have a good arm and if we can find someone to catch the ball, our offense will move downfield real well,” added
Surrounding Smith in the backfield will be Mark Viers and Dale Stevener … at the backfield slots and Tim Morgan at halfback.
“Tim is probably our finest layer. We can use him at any position and he could play it well,” noted
Rich Cates and Tom Gallagher, both 5’8”, 150 pounders, will be on the ends while Rich Chapple will be over the ball on center of offense. Rick Miget, Rob Grace, Terry Weis, Kevin Oberdick and John Smith will round out the offensive lineup.
Terry Kasper, injured, will draw a starting position when he returns to the line-up in the third week of the regular season, says
On Defense, Viers and Stevener will be working as defensive halfbacks while Cates and Gallagher are expected to be the ends.
Oberdick, Grace Miget and Lister will be on defense for the Vikes as well as safety Lee Coe, a 5’4”, 144 pound senior.
Coach Davis praised his team when he said, “Academically, we have a very sound, intelligent team. The boys are good thinkers and that, of course, helps. They know what’s going on out there.”
Francis Howell will be working from a multiple offense this fall with much of the yardage going through the air.
“Opponents that will give us a lot of trouble will be Wentzville and Priory as I see it,” said
“That is, of course, if Wentzville fields a team,” added
“Priory is probably the best coached team we’ve ever played,” he added.
“One thing that has really helped us,”
Francis Howell followers will get their first chance to show Coach Davis and the Vikings their support when Howell opens September 12 with Owensville.
Pigskin Preview
Howell Vikings Ready for New Grid Warfare
By Nick West
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.
The Vikings of Francis Howell did not make it real big in their first try, but they are full of enthused spirit as they try it again this fall.
Last year, Howell High’s Vikings explored the varsity football trail for the first time. Although the rookie season was not a great one as far as the won-loss column is concerned, the Vikings began a winning streak as they swept to victory in their last two games of the 1969 season.
These two games came after dropping their first five varsity battles. And, in both victories, the Vikings indicated they knew defense as they held their opponents scoreless. Their initial varsity win was against Owensville, whom they pounded 29-0. This was followed with a 6-0 win over
Now, this Saturday, the Vikings will try to get off on a continuance of that winning form, and Owensville is the opposition. Game time on the Francis Howell gridiron is 7 p.m.
With hopes of adding on to the two game wining streak they started last year, the Vikings will have the personnel of 30 returning varsity squadmen of which 20 are returning lettermen.
Even though the Vikings have a number of returning players from last year’s team, Coach Frank Davis expressed a worry over the team’s depth.
“Depth right now is our main worry,”
The returning lettermen who will be returning to the Francis Howell gridiron for the 1970 season should help in filling in some of the depth problem as the season progresses.
Returning lettermen for this season are: tackles Terry Weis, Jim Grimes; guards Rob Grace, Kevin Oberdick,
Although there may be a depth problem on the team it must not be affecting the Vikings’ defense.
“We have a good strong defense but the offense has a little to be desired,”
To be counted on to keep the Viking defense strong will be such players as defensive linemen Viers, and Dale Stevener. Backfield players on the defensive side will be Morgan, Spink, Coe, Lister and Kasper. Coe is a 5-4 144-pound senior.
Two boys heading the list as top blockers on the team are Oberdick and Grace.
Viers will also try to beef up the offensive attack as one of the top runners along with Morgan and Stevener. Handling the top offensive job of quarterback n the potential team will probably be 185-pound junior Smith, although other capable candidates are Jim Clark, Coe and Morgan.
Two players who have shown themselves to be among the good aerial receivers are Oberdick and Cates. [probably Gallagher and Cates]
Morgan and Stevener also are pointed out by
Heading the list of tough opposition that the Vikings will face, according to Coach Davis, is Wentzville. Following Wentzville,
Even thought Davis, who is starting his third year at Francis Howell, has mixed emotions about his team, things could very easily fall into place and the Vikings could make the 1970 season a “good one” for themselves.
The Daily Banner-News, September 11, 1970
Duchesne hosts Rosary tonight; Howell, Zumwalt open Saturday
By Mike Gothberg
Duchesne, Francis Howell and
Duchesne’s pioneers, off a 7-3 season of a year ago, are shooting for an undefeated season and Rosary appease as the first hurdle tonight at 8 p.m. ….
Francis Howell will open their 1970 campaign tomorrow evening when Owensville invades the Vikings home field. Game time n the C&H ball field will be 7 p.m.
The Vikes, under the direction of Frank Davis, are seeking to add a third victory to their modest winning streak which reached two before last year’s season ended with Howell dumped Fort Zumwalt, 6-0.
In this week’s tune-up,
Tim Morgan, Mark Viers, Steve Smith, & Jim Spink
“In practice, they’ve been hitting real well. They’ve really been popping,” added
“We’ve been causing a lot of fumbles and intercepting passes which gives us an indication that we’re ready,” he said.
Not having seen them play this year, it’s hard to say what we will do. The first one’s always the toughest, and we’re not taking them too lightly. It should be a touch game,” quipped
Also on Saturday night,
The other two
The Daily Banner-News, September 11, 1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q Quick
FRANCIS HOWELL 28 – OWENSVILLE 14: Frank Davis says he will employ his eleven best players on defense this fall. That may be and it may work out as it will here with Owensville. But, when the Vikings meet a larger, stronger school, those 11 are gonna be mighty tired by the fourth quarter.
2
Two other area teams … open their 1970 football seasons this weekend.
The … game Saturday will be between Francis Howell and Owensville. Starting their second year of varsity football, the Vikings of Howell will be trying to add to their two game winning streak they started at the end of last season. Their first victory of the year came off of Owensville as they beat them by a score of 29-0. Before that win the Vikings, coached by Frank Davis, had dropped the first five games they played. They ended their first season of varsity football with a record of 2-5.
Owensville will be playing at Francis Howell Saturday with the kickoff time at 7 p.m.
Prep Picks
Francis Howell over Owensville 8
The Daily Banner-News, September 14, 1970
Howell Blanks Owensville
Vikings open with a 20-0 shutout win
By K.A. Diekamp
Repeatedly thwarped in their offensive play early in the game due to penalties, Francis Howell erupted for 20 fourth-period points and went on to blank Owensville, 20-0 in both team’s opener Saturday.
Prior to the game, Coach Frank Davis of the Vikings had indicated that his team’s most glaring errors, penalties, had been corrected. “I’m pretty sure we’ve ironed out the bugs on offense.”
Apparently not, though, as officials called 100 yards worth of infractions of the young Vikings. “The penalties really killed us” said David, summing up the following the contest. “I didn’t think we played very well during the first three periods, but that fourth period was pleasing.”
Howell and Owensville, meeting last year with the Vikings winning 29-0, went into the final period deadlocked at 0-0.
Steve Smith, the Vikings talented junior quarterback, rushing in from the six-yard line provided the first score.
Jim Spink then tacked six more points to the board minutes later as he cut through the middle and chased home from the 49 yard line. Tim Morgan added the conversion and Francis Howell was on top, 13-0 with slightly more than four minutes remaining in the game.
Viers had been filling in at halfback when Morgan sustained and eye injury Thursday during the team’s tune-up practice. Due to his injury, the hard-running back was used solely for touchdown conversion tries of which he made two.
Dale Stevener drew praise from his coach as the 5’11” junior charged over from the eight with less than a minute remaining to give Howell their third score of the game. Morgan added the point after and Francis Howell won their first game of the year, 20-0.
Their shutout was nearly destroyed early in the first period when an Owensville touchdown was called back on a penalty.
When asked of his competition, Coach Davis replied, “They’re a lot tougher than last year. In fact, for awhile there, they scared me!”
But apparently not enough to scare Francis Howell into losing. Next week, they try to extend their winning streak to four games when they meet
Duchesne, Howell Keep Streaks Perking
By Nick West
Two area teams will be out to continue their winning streaks while a third hopes to end its string of defeats. Francis Howell and Duchesne are the two victorious teams who hope to carry on their good fortune.
In a Saturday afternoon contest against powerful Priory, the Vikings of Francis Howell will be trying for their fourth straight win. In addition to having a three-game win streak, the Vikings also have an identical string of shutouts going for them. Two of the three wins came at the end of last season while the third came last weekend when the Vikings closed the goal line against Owensville…..
In last weekend’s Francis Howell opener, the Vikings, after laying low for more than half the game came alive to trounce upon Owensville by the tune of 20-0. Besides being the Vikings first win of the season, Owensville was also the target of Howell’s first victory in varsity football last year.
In describing his team’s performance last Saturday, Viking Coach Frank Davis, said, “The team was doing poorly both offensively and defensively until the last of the third quarter.”
The Francis Howell team did finally come through late in the third period to get on the scoreboard. Quarterback Steve Smith was the first player of the night to gain entrance through the goal line, from 12 yards out to make it 6-0 after the extra point by Tim Morgan failed.
Two more touchdowns came in the fourth period to add to the Viking Tally. Mark Viers crashed through Owensville’s defense from close to 8 yards out for the second touchdown of the night followed by the extra point conversion by Morgan. The final points of the evening came when Dale Stevener picked his way across the goal line and Morgan made it two-out-of-three as he again made the extra point.
Stevener led the Viking rush with 115 yards on 18 carries. Viers carried the ball 19 times for a total of 88 yards, followed by Jim Spink who produced 70 yards on 6 runs with the pig hide.
Quarterback Smith completed 50 per cent of his passes out of 10 throws for 65 yards while the team gathered a total of 313 compared to 83 rolled up by Owensville.
In previewing Saturday’s game Coach Davis said Priory probably will be the toughest team that they will face this season, mainly because they have both a good ground and pass attack.
“I can’t say what the outcome will be. It’s going to be a blind game,”
Priory is considered a strong choice to win this year’s ABC League crown, coming off its fine 6-1-1 campaign a year ago.
Howell came through the initial warfare in fairly good physical shape although Morgan and guard Rick Miget suffered eye injuries.
The Daily Banner-News, September 17, 1970
The Daily Banner-News, September 18, 1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q Quick
Priory 36 Francis Howell 14: Coach Frank Davis found the going a little tough last week when his Vikings needed a 20 point fourth period output to down a stubborn Owensville team. This weekend, his forces are up against one of the tougher
The Daily Banner-News, September 18, 1970
Howell at Priory tomorrow afternoon
Howell Vikings risk four-game win skein
While two
Wentzville and
The two seeking victories this weekend are Francis Howell and
Tomorrow afternoon, Priory will host Francis Howell as they open their 1970 football season. Francis Howell (1-0) will be up against one of their strongest opponents tomorrow and appear as the underdogs in the game.
“It’s gonna be tough” admitted Viking Coach, Frank Davis. “They’re big and we’ve got to go some to match them, but we’re very confident that we can do it.”
Francis Howell will be shooting for their fourth victory n a row, two coming at the end of last year.
“You very well can’t take Viers out of the backfield after the job he did last Friday night,” declared the Vikes mentor.
Viers, in 15 carries, gained 96 yards as he cracked through the Owensville line and powered his way to his total yardage. He also scored one of the three Viking touchdowns.
“It’ll probably be hot then and our boys, having to go both ways, will be tired,” he said. “We’ll be subbing on defense, trying to keep them as fresh as we can.”
Last year, Priory stopped the Vikings, 21-0, but
The game will be the first played on the newly completed Priory field. Game time is 2 p.m.
The Daily Banner-News, September 21, 1970
Francis Howell dropped by Priory Saturday as defensive mistakes render whitewash
About the only problem Priory had Saturday afternoon as they hosted Francis Howell was the fact that their new scoreboard went haywire and failed to operate during the final half.
Outside of that, Priory’s Rebels opened their 1970 season on their newly completed football field with a 21-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Vikings.
Francis Howell’s taunted offense failed in its bid for a second straight victory and fourth victory in a row covering two seasons. The Vikings, winners last weekend as they dumped Owensville 20-0, were shutout Saturday afternoon.
Coach Frank Davis of Howell said, “We made far too many mistakes. Just like last year, the mistakes killed us.”
He cited two instances that created problems for the Vikings. During the first half, Francis Howell punted and the Viking Defenders rushed downfield where the ball was bouncing near the two-yard line. Instead of downing the ball, Howell watched as it went on into the end zone for a touchback, bringing the ball out to the 20 yard line.
Another play came when Howell received a punt. On this play, they caught the ball on the two and tried to run it back and subsequently, were downed near the five. The play should have become a touchback, said
“Our specialty team hurt us through their mistakes’” added the varsity coach. “Outside of our mistakes, thought, we played them almost evenly.”
Looking at the statistics,
Howell totaled 67 yards on 61 plays while the winning Rebels tallied 140 yards on 68 plays. Subtracting the 45 yard gain the totals were 67 for Howell and 95 for Priory.
The Vikes gained 26 yards through the air in completing 6 of 22 passes. Priory in the same number of completions and passes, totaled 103 yards.
Rick Miget, the Banner-News’ defensive player of the week for Howell last week, again drew praise from his head coach. “It seemed like every time Priory’s runner got off the ground, there was Ricky with the tackle. He played an excellent defensive game.”
Quarterback Steve Smith, however, failed to move the Viking offense, though. Said
He added, “Our receivers were either being overthrown or running short patterns. When they did get the ball, they dropped it.”
“I thought we could have won the game,”
Howell, even for the season with one victory in two tries will be in Pacific next weekend. Pacific defeated
Vikings Aim to Cross Pacific
In a match this Friday against Pacific, the Francis Howell Vikings will be fighting to start a new football win streak which was busted last Saturday.
The Vikings were pushed aside by Priory in the afternoon game 21-0. The loss ended the string of three wins which the Vikings had brewing. The Francis Howell team, which had shutout its opponents in the string of wins, were themselves shutout as they failed to cross the goal line with the ball, and evened their record at 1-1.
“With all things being equal, we should be as good as Pacific,” Viking head coach Frank Davis said in regard to this Friday’s game. Pacific, 5-5 last year, will be heading into the game with Howell after edging past
“We expect them to do mostly running plays as they did against
Sophomore Terry Kasper is expected to start in the backfield in Friday’s game after having been observed by
Although tomorrow’s game may be better, last Saturday’s did not have much to offer as the Vikings, in their second varsity season, were jumped upon by Priory. The Priory coast line defenses kept the Vikings out to sea and away from landing any points on the scoreboard. Priory lived up to its rating of last year as the No 2 team in the St. Louis area on defense as they held the Vikings to a mere 61 yards in 67 plays with the ball. Francis Howell was allowed only 27 yards through the air on 6 out of 27 passes attempted.
Priory managed to put together a total of 140 yards on 68 plays in which they had the ball. The Priory runners found that it would not be as easy to run through the Vikings’ defensive line as they thought. The main roadblock facing the Priory ball-carriers was a linebacker by the name of Rick Miget. Playing a sharp game of football, Miget, a 170 pound junior, was in on 19 tackles during the evening. The one-year letterman also brought three ball carriers down unassisted.
Tim Morgan, who has been plagued by injuries before and during the season, will probably be inactive Friday in the game against Pacific. Morgan, a halfback and a two-year letterman, injured his eye in last Saturday’s game and required stitches.
The Daily Banner-News, September 25, 1970
Vikings seek victory against Pacific
Tonight, the Francis Howell Vikings will attempt to regain their winning stride when they travel to Pacific for a 7 p.m. ball game.
The Vikings had put together a three-game shutout winning skein before having it snapped last Saturday by the Rebels of Priory, 21-0.
Pacific is coming into tonight’s game with a 1-1 record, their latest decision coming as a 26-21 victory over
Francis Howell will enter tonight’s contest also at .500 as they hold a victory over Owensville 20-0. They were flat in their last outing as Priory Pinned the 21-0 shutout on Coach Frank Davis’ forces.
Coach Davis expressed his belief that tonight’s game “will be very close. I feel that these two teams will be evenly matched and the game itself should be extremely close.”
He stated that a possible surprise starter may be sophomore running back Terry Kasper. Against Priory, Kasper was one of the few players to solve the rugged Rebel defensive set up. A year ago, Priory was ranked second in the entire
Howell posted their worst offensive showing of the year n the Priory ball game. They managed to grind out a mere 67 yards on a total of 61 offensive plays. Steve Smith, the lanky Viking quarterback found the range only six of 27 times he went to the air, good for 27 yards.
Game time tonight in Pacific has been set for 7 p.m.
The Daily Banner-News, September 25, 1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q Quick
FRANCIS HOWELL 20 PACIFIC 14 Coach Frank Davis failed to find one good thing to talk about offensively speaking last weekend when his Vikes were shutout by Priory. Pacific barely beat
Prep Picks
Howell over Pacific 10
The Daily Banner-News, September 28, 1970
FH returns to win track with 13-0 win at Pacific
Francis Howell, who had their three game shutout streak halted a week ago, returned to the winner’s circle Friday night when the Vikings blasted Pacific 13-0.
A 53 yard pass interception and a long kick-off return set up the winning margin as Coach Frank Davis’ forces swept to their second win in three outings on the year.
Defensive back Terry Kasper intercepted a pass on his 47 yard line in the second period and dashed back for the first score of the game.
Jim Spink opened the second half for the Vikings and marched the opening kick-off back to the 12 yard line. After two plays into the line, Vike quarterback Steve Smith swept the end for the second score of the evening.
“I was well pleased with our offense: stated Coach Davis. “But very unsatisfied with our defense. We didn’t play a good game defensively. We weren’t hitting like we have.”
The 13 point margin could have been much higher had not the Vikings been called back on 110 yards due to infractions. Dale Stevener broke several tackles on a run through the middle, highlighting his 60 yard TD run only to have it called back.
The Vikings, in picking up 14 first downs, gained a season high of 258 yards during the evening. The defense allowed Pacific a total of 165 yards, 104 of those coming through the air.
“Our running game was excellent and I was well pleased with it,” emphasized the winning coach. “But we like to have a balance on offense and to achieve that we’ll have to improve our passing game.”
Smith managed to complete four of nine passes for a 10 yard total against Pacific. Coach Davis explained, “again it was partly due to our ends. I think we’ll have to switch personnel for our next game.”
He continued, “The ends are not fast enough to get out in the open like they should and when they do they slow up. We had one pass intercepted because the receiver slowed up and let the ball get intercepted.”
“Perhaps we’ll go with a pro-type offense,”
One bright spot on the overall outlook of the game was the two rushing leaders for the Vikings, Dale Stevener and Mark Viers, who between them gained 187 yards.
Stevener, who averages 78 yards per game, carried the ball 13 times for 93 yards. Viers the workhorse of the Vikings offense, carried 16 times for 94 yards. He averages better than 83 yards per game.
Smith, who found his receivers covered on numerous occasions, rushed for 36 yards while Jim Spink gained 16 yards on six tries.
:Steve (Smith) ran out of the pocket real well,” praised
This Friday night the Vikings are slated to meet the Indians of Wentzville who will be playing their first game of the year. The Indians have been forced to cancel their opening two games due to a negative vote on their proposed tax bond levy.
“We’ll go ahead with the weeks practice,” explained
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, late September 1970
The
The Fifth Quarter
By Nick West
The (Wentzville) Indians held their first team practice Monday and plan to work out every afternoon until they do finally play. Beginning today, the team will start using pads for the first time this season.
Over at Francis Howell, head coach Frank Davis plans to use the open week left by the postponement to work to try and improve on some of the trouble spots the Vikings have.
“We are going to try and develop our passing game some more. So far it has been inadequate. In fact we will use the entire week on our passing,”
The Vikings are coming off a 13-0 victory over Pacific in the game last Friday. With the win, the Vikings lifted their record to 2-1 and have a string of five games going in which either they or their opponents have been shut out.
In reviewing last week’s game,
“The reason I am unhappy with our defense is because they were not hitting well,”
There were some on the defense who did some outstanding jobs. Rob Grace, a junior linebacker weighing 165 pounds, was in on 20 tackles with two unassisted. Terry Kasper was also mentioned by
There were two big ground gainers for the Vikings as they sailed over Pacific. Mark Viers, 180 pound senior, gathered up 94 yards in 16 carries while Dale Stevener was close behind with 15 carries for 93 yards.
Kevin Oberdick, 175 pound tackle, helped the Vikings gain yardage by opening holes in the pacific line.
The Daily Banner-News, October 8, 1970
FH in crucial weekend tilt
Turning point for season claims
Francis Howell’s Vikings, fresh from a two week lay-off, return to football action this Friday night when they travel to Imperial.
Coach Frank Davis, head coach at the Weldon Spring school, said this morning. “This could be the turning point in our season.”
“They’ve got a lot of weight on their club,” he noted. “But one thing in our favor is that
“We’ve been working on conditioning this past week.”
Windsor of Imperial currently holds a 3-1 season mark, their latest victory coming over
“We know they can score,” admitted the Viking mentor, “but we feel our defensive game will counter their offensive attack. They don’t like to throw the ball too much and generally work out of a simple formation.”
“Their offense centers around a t-formation where occasionally they’ll split an end or back,”
“We’ve changed our defense to protect against their runs,” noted
With the two week lay-off resulting from the cancellation of Friday night’s game with Wentzville, the Vikings find themselves in sound physical condition. Tim Morgan, out the last three weeks with an eye injury, will return to action Friday.
“We’ve had time to sharpen our game,” added
“We’ve noticed that
Spink, on the year, is one of the leading ground gainers in the county. He has rushed 14 times for 101 yards, an average of 7.8 yards.
Dale Stevener leads the Vikings offense with 234 yards rushing while Smith has compiled 101 yards on passes.
Francis Howell has its sights on a 7-1 season, but the next two weeks will tell the story,
“These next two games are very important for us,”
He added that
Francis Howell has to date, allowed 21 points while putting 33 tallies on the board.
Game time for Friday night’s match in Imperial is 8 p.m.
Prep Picks
The Daily Banner-News, October 9, 1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q Quick
FRANCIS HOWELL 13 WINDSOR OF IMPERIAL 16 The Vikes will be meeting their largest (physically) opponent of the season Friday night but Francis Howell is coming off a two-week rest. They’ll be fresh and ready to play, while
The Daily Banner-News, October 9, 1970
Howell seeks win in Imperial tonight
Francis Howell will attempt to notch its third win of the season tonight when the Vikings travel to imperial where they are slated to an 8 p.m. kickoff with
The Vikes are coming off a weekend lay-off as last Friday’s scheduled ball game with Wentzville was cancelled.
Coach Frank Davis termed tonight’s ball game as the “most crucial for Francis Howell. We’ll see just how a good a team we have after tonight.”
“We know they dress only 22 men per game and we hope to wear them down with our pressure,” added the Vikings’ coach.
“They work out of a straight T formation and very seldomly change from it. We’re trying to concentrate on conditioning with the hope that they’ll wear out before we do,”
Francis Howell holds victories over Owensville and Pacific while being shut out by Priory, 20-0.
Game time is 8 p.m. tonight in Imperial
The Daily Banner-News, October 12, 1970
Francis Howell sets school record; Vikes win 3rd game of year 7-6
Francis Howell overcame a 205 pound defensive line, a two-week lay-off and a flooded field Friday night as the Vikings slipped past Windsor of Imperial, 7-6 to set a school season winning record.
“They were big folks,” said Vike Coach Frank Davis, referring to
Push and hit the Vikings did as they won their third ball game of the year. The victory marked the most victories a Francis Howell football team has recorded, eclipsing the two win season of a year ago.
On the attempted conversion attempt, Robi Grace blasted through the Imperial line to block the kick. As it turned out, his success provided the Vikings with their victory.
Francis Howell took over on their own 40 yard-line four minutes later and Viking quarterback Steve Smith guided his squad down the field against the overpowering
The big play of the game, according to Coach Davis, came as Smith arched a pass down the left side of the field. Tim Morgan made a leaping diving catch of the pass at the 20 and Francis Howell scored three plays later.
Dale Stevener bullied his way through the middle for three yards and the score. Tim Morgan kicked the extra point and Howell had their win.
“Tim’s catch could be called the big play of the game,” noted Coach David. “Tim followed the ball and made a fantastic catch. It set us up for the score.”
“We had sent Stevener down the right side the previous play and decided it might work again so we sent Morgan in with the play,” remembered
“Offensively, we played a good game and the defense arose many times to stop their drives. We recovered tow of their fumbles which helped tremendously,” said
“We made a lot of mistakes which we’ll have to iron out,” added the varsity coach. “But we’re quite optimistic about the remainder of the season.”
Extra Point Margin for F-H
Francis Howell scored a 7-6 come from behind victory over
The winners tied the score at 6-6 in the second half when Dale Stevener went over from the three. Tim Morgan’s kick went through the upright for a well earned victory.
Record for Howell
Francis Howell will be going for its fourth win against one loss … this Friday as the Vikings take on Marquette of Alton at the Viking field on St. Peters Road. The Vikings are also shooting for a school record third straight win.
Windsor of Imperial was the victim last week as the Vikings posted a record setting third win. In the 7-6 win, the Vikings set a new Howell high for the number of wins in a season. The Friday game could possibly have ended in a tie if it had not been for Howell’s Robi Grace. After the only Imperial touchdown, Grace successfully …. blocked the extra-point kick. The lone point turned out to be what the Vikings needed to win, after Dale Stevener scored from three yards out followed by the winning extra-point kick by Tim Morgan.
The Daily Banner-News, October 16, 1970
Howell-Marquette
Francis Howell will be shooting to remold its record books Friday night as they entertain
The Vikings set a school record last weekend as they slipped past Windsor of Imperial, 7-6. It was Howell’s third win of the year and marked the most wins the Weldon Spring school has ever won in a single season.
Coach Frank Davis of Francis Howell admitted that he “doesn’t know too much about
“We’ll be giving Dale (Stevener) the ball more tonight,” said
With his passing game,
“We’re going to experiment,” declared the Viking coach.
The Marquette-Francis Howell game will begin at 8 p.m. at the
Prep Picks
The Daily Banner-News, October 16, 1970
Nick’s Picks
FRANCIS HOWELL 20, MARQUETTE 14. The Vikings haven’t destroyed a team yet this year and
The Daily Banner-News, October 19, 1970
Vikings win fourth with a 17-0 verdict
Francis Howell’s Vikings, spurred by a large homecoming crowd here Friday night, blanked Marquette of Alton, Illinois, 17-0.
“We managed to put everything together in the first half,” said winning Coach Frank Davis. “It was the first time we’ve played well together all year.”
The Vikings completely dominated the opening half as they went on to win their fourth game of the year, two more now than any other Francis Howell team.
The Vikings continued to contain their opponents’ offensive game. The Vikings, with Friday’s shutout, own three shutout wins to their credit while winning their other game in a 7-6 decision over Windsor of Imperial.
The Vikes have won four of five games including the longest winning streak in
Dale Stevener and Tim Morgan combined to hand
Stevener again scored in the second quarter as the muscleman of the Vikings backfield bulled his way in from the three yard line.
Tim Morgan, who has been out most of the season due to an eye injury, set his sights on a 29 yard field goal in the third period and then booted the football between the uprights of the final score of the game.
It was the first field goal Francis Howell has scored this year and marked only the second successful field goal in the county this year.
“We moved the ball at will during the first half,” noted Coach Davis. “But
“We would have liked to move the ball more through the air,” said
This weekend the Vikes will shoot for their fifth win of the season as they travel to Warrenton Friday night.
[
[FHHS Baseball Hall of Famer Tim Morgan makes the first field goal in FH football history. This compliments his unofficial record of making the “longest basketball field goal in school history” of about 90 feet at
The
Howell Streaks to Third Win In Row
The Explorers of Marquette of Alton seemed to have let the Vikings take over their job as Francis Howell did its exploring in the goal line of
The win last Friday set the 1970 record for the Howell Vikes at 4-1, the best in
The junior, 190 pound Dale Stevener was the big standout at the special event as he led the Vikings with 101 yards in 23 carries of the pigskin. Stevener also scored the only two Vike touchdowns to run his season total to 24 points.
One of the first lucky breaks the Howell team encountered was on its first series with the ball. After going 21 yards to the Explorers’ 40, the Vikings were forced into a punting situation. However the punt was called back and a five-yard penalty was enforced against
The penalty gave Howell a chance for four more downs and the Vikings wasted no time in taking advantage of it. Five plays later, Stevener broke with the pigskin for the first Vikings’ score from 11 yards out to put the host team ahead in the opening quarter. Tim Morgan, having suffered an injury earlier in the season, kicked the extra-point to make it 7-0.
From then on, the Vikings were sailing in calm waters. One close threat the Explorers did come up with, came right after the second half got under way. After making it to the Howell 31 yard-line,
The second and final touchdown by Francis Howell came with a little more than 7 minutes remaining in the second quarter. After taking a 27-yard punt on the 47-yard line of
Later in the end of the third period, two 15-yard penalties against
Both on defense and offense the Vikings did a fine job. Howell’s defense held the Explorers to only five first downs and of the 123 yards grossed by
The passing game offensively for the Vikings was not outstanding. In the air the Vikes only completed two of seven throws for 18 yards. The remaining 185 yards were gathered on the ground attacks. Besides Stevener, Mark Viers also had a fine night rushing. The senior back pounded out 52 yards in 14 carries against the Explorers.
So far this season Francis Howell has totaled 57 points while letting 27 come up against it. Hopefully the Vikings will add to their total of points this Friday when they go visit Warrenton.
Coach Frank Davis’ crew has tabulated 57 points for the season in the five games, while holding the rivals to a mere 27. The Friday win as Howell’s third via the shutout route this year and was the fifth shutout win in Howell’s last seven games, counting 1969. The Vikings, by the way have won six of their last seven.
Not bad.
The Daily Banner-News, October 21, 1970
Howell top county defensive unit
Francis Howell jumped into the lead among St. Charles County High schools this week as they won their fourth game of the year Friday night.
The Vikings, under the direction of Coach Frank Davis, sport the finest defense among the five county schools. Francis Howell has allowed an average of 5.2 points per game against them while managing an 11.4 average themselves.
Howell lost its second game of the year, 20-0 to Priory but have shutout three of their four opponents. The Vikings other win came in a 7-6 decision over Windsor of Imperial.
The
Vikings Shoot For Fifth Win
The football-enthused Francis Howell Vikings will be traveling to Warrenton to do battle with the Warriors this Friday, aiming for more records.
The seamen from Howell, in only their second season of Varsity Football, have compiled a good looking record of 4-1 for the 1970 season. Win number four came last Friday as the gridiron players from Howell kept their end-zone closed to the hungry eyes of the Explorers of Marquette by winning 17-0.
The win also set a three game winning streak going for the second year team. Last year the Vikings managed only a 2-5 record for their induction to the ranks of varsity football. The only loss suffered by Francis Howell this year was a 21-0 shutout pulled off by Priory in the second game of the season.
Last week, the Warriors were defeated 12-6 by
In last Friday’s game with
Only one time did
The Vikings gained over 200 yards as they posted their fourth win. The 17 points mustered up by Howell raised its scoring total up to 57 for the season with 27 being scored by the opponents. 57 points is not much to brag about, but the Vikings aren’t upset about it, after all no other area team has a 4-1 record.
Dale Stevener will be one of the hardest players.…[article cut off]….downs raised by Francis Howell came by way of the 190-pound fullback. The scoring raised Stevener’s total to 24 for the season.
The first score by Stevener was from 11-yards out on a run in the first quarter. In the second quarter came the fullback’s second touchdown, this time from three yards out. Stevener also rolled up more than 100 yards carrying the ball for the Vikes.
One more headache facing the warriors will be Tim Morgan. Morgan has been handling the chores involving footwork for Howell. In the game against Marquette Morgan followed Stevener’s act by kicking the extra points. A 28-yard field goal late in the third period by Morgan put eh finishing touches on the game.
It seems likely that the string of Viking wins will stretch to fur this Friday.
All the action will take place starting at 8p.m.
The Daily Banner-News, October 23, 1970
East goes west, west to east as Vikings, ‘skins on road
Wentzville, on the far western border of
Francis Howell, the eastern bordering high school, travels west tonight where they, too, will meet the Warriors. The Vikings, seeking to improve their county leading 4-1 record, tackle Warrenton in an 8 p.m. game tonight.
The Vikings have been the stingiest team in the county this year, having allotted their opponents only 27 points. Twenty of those tallies came in their lone loss of the year to Priory.
Francis Howell is currently enjoying the longest winning streak in the county. Tonight, they shoot for number four….
The Daily Banner-News, October 23, 1970
Nick’s Picks
Francis Howell 42, Warrenton 0
Francis Howell has a habit of winning and not letting their opponents score. Warrenton isn’t the best team the Vikings will face and it should be the time the Vikes will fatten their season statistics.
The
Prep Picks
Howell over Warrenton 14
The
Vikings Shutout Warriors
The defensive-minded gridiron express from Francis Howell rambled through Warrenton Friday, heading toward its first winning season of varsity football.
Coach Frank Davis’ Vikings scuttled Warrenton’s Warriors, 25-0, for Howell’s school record fourth straight victory and lifted the seasonal mark to a fine 5-1 showing. It was Howell’s fourth shutout victory of the season. In the six games this year, Howell has been touched for only 27 points for a 4.5 average per game, one of the best in the Bi-State area.
Another interesting note is that Francis Howell has won seven of its last nine football games over the two year period and six of those victories resulted in the enemy going point-less.
The Vikings punched over their first score against Warrenton (now 1-5 for the season) in the opening period when junior quarterback Steve Smith shoved through from the one. Tim Morgan split the uprights with his kick to make it 7-0.
Two more TD’s came in the second as Morgan a 170-pound senior halfback, darted over from the three for his first TD of the season then junior wingback Jim Spink blasted over from the one for his first tally of the campaign.
Howell closed out the scoring in the third period when Smith pitched a short three-yard scoring bomb to Spink.
The Vikings play their final home game of the season this Friday and will be tackling one of their toughest foes on the schedule as Lutheran North checks in at the Viking lair. Howell will end the campaign Nov. 6 at
The Daily Banner-News, October 26, 1970
Howell continues win skein in 25-0 Warrenton test
Francis Howell, only in its second season of varsity football competition, enjoyed another night of success Friday as the Vikings blasted Warrenton, 25-0.
The victory assured Coach Frank Davis’ forces with a winning season and was the fourth consecutive victory this year.
The shutout win was also the fourth shutout for Francis Howell who has averaged 4-5 points on defense on the year. As a matter of fact, the Vikings have won seven of their last nine games with six of those decisions coming in shutouts.
“We played one of our worst offensive games of the year,’ said Frank Davis after the game.
The Vikings managed to score four touchdowns against the Warriors. Junior quarterback Steve Smith opened the game’s scoring as he crossed over from the one-yard line. Tim Morgan booted the extra point and Francis Howell had all the points it was to need for the win.
Morgan, a 170 pound senior halfback, dashed over from the three-yard marker during the second period and moments later, Jim Spink spun over from the one-yard line.
Howell closed out its scoring punch midway through the third stanza when Smith hit Spink on an 11-yard scoring play.
“We had the ball down near their goal on three different occasions,” remarked
He cited another example, “One touchdown was called back due to holding. We were penalized, then tried a fake field goal and couldn’t score.”
“We used Dale quite a bit on the fakes into the line and options. Every time he stepped toward the line of scrimmage, he was hit by three linebackers. They triple-teamed him all night.”
This style of defense opened the Vikings’ secondary running backs and as the result Mark Viers picked up 65 yards.
“We still didn’t get a good showing on offense,” lamented
“Kevin Oberdick played a fine defensive game,” added his coach. “During the opening two quarters, he broke through the line and snared their quarterback seven or eight times. As the result, Warrenton was forced to double-team him.”
Friday, the Vikes play their final 1970 game at home. A powerful Lutheran North team is pitted against the vastly improved Vikings of Francis Howell. That game begins at 8 p.m.
The Daily-Banner News, October 28,1970
Duchesne paces county in offense
Duchesne’s Pioneers and Francis Howell’s Vikings, both winners of five games, sport the best offensive and defensive units, respectively this week.
The Pioneers have scored 200 points this year and have outdistanced their nearest county competitor by 112 points.
On the other hand, Francis Howell has limited their opponents to a slim 27 tallies, 64 points better than their nearest competitor.
The
The Fifth Quarter
Viking Defense 9th Best in State
By Nick West
The success story that Francis Howell High School Athletic teams have been compiling in the Fall season by going from defeats of last year to victories this year continues.
Much as been said about the “turn-around” successes of the Howell cross country and Football teams. A bit more publicity about the Viking football team comes this week from the Missouri State High School Activities Association.
Statewide statistics from the MSHSAA reveal that Francis Howell’s defense, in the matter of scoring by the opposition, ranks ninth among varsity playing football schools in Mizzou. The Vikings have given up 27 points in six games for a good 4.5 per game average.
The only schools ahead of the Vikings in this category are CBC of St. Louis and Cameron (tied for first). Lawson,
There is more interesting data on the Vikings football fortunes in today’s Journal story about this Friday’s game with Lutheran North. The game with North could be the toughest since Howell’s lone defeat, at the hands of Priory, back in September.
The
Howell Defenders Face Crusaders
It will be a gang of Crusaders marching on the home of the Vikings this Friday night in one of the feature attractions for
The Vikings are non other than those from Francis Howell, who are leading all teams in the county with a 5-1 record. They will be hosting the Lutheran North Crusaders, 2-4, in an 8 p.m. battle that will feature the strong Viking Defense in action.
The Vikings will be gunning for a record fifth straight victory. They have won seven of their last eight games over the past two campaigns, six of them via shutouts.
One common foe of interest for Coach Frank Davis’ Vikings and Lutheran North is Duchesne, the only other
The only loss this season for the Vikes has been to Priory. In that game, the second of the season for Francis Howell, the Vikings were blanked, 21-0. Since then, however, the Seamen have not lost a game and have shutout four of their opponents in those victories.
The most recent shutout victory for the Howell team came last Friday in a 25-0 rop over Warrenton.
In the victory for the Vikes over Warrenton, Jim Spink led in the scoring department. The first time that he crossed the goal line was from one-yard out. An eleven yard pitch from quarterback Steve Smith, who completed 33 per cent of his passes, gave Spink his second score of the night.
Smith also made a touchdown on his own as he ran over from the one for another six points. The TD was the third for the quarterback this year and raised his total to 18 points.
Tim Morgan helped round out the scoring for Francis Howell, Morgan went over the goal line from the three yard line. The only extra point made by Howell in the game came on an extra-point kick by Morgan in the first period. The seven points gave Morgan a total of 16 points for the season, one touchdown, seven extra points and one field goal.
The Vikings’ leading scorer and top rusher Dale Stevener, had little chance to do much of either against Warrenton. The Warriors had Stevener triple-teamed much of the game and so he carried the ball only nine times for 4 yards. Stevener, although not doing any scoring for Howell, is still its top scorer with four TD’s for a total of 20.
Lutheran North lost its fourth game last week 35-0 as it battled Country Day. The Crusaders, of the ABC Conference, have one distinction, however, they have been the only team to beat
Lutheran North so far has given up 110 points while scoring only 49 for its cause. This does not compare to the greedy Vikings who have given up only 27 points in six games for an average of 4.5 points per game. The Vikings are also ahead of the Crusaders in the offensive department with 82 points to their credit.
The Daily-Banner News, October 29 1970
FH Vikes shoot for 5th straight
Typically, a school new to the game of football is slow to pick up on the key to the game, that being defense. Untrue at Francis Howell this year.
The Vikings, a second-year varsity football school, has been most bitter to concede points this year, allowing 4.5 per game.
Francis Howell, winners of the five games in seven tries, own a four-game winning skein which will be highly tested tonight when Lutheran North visits the Weldon Spring school.
Lutheran North enters the game with a dismal 2-4 record. The Crusaders and Vikings have one common opponent, Priory. The Rebels whipped Lutheran North, 29-6, while blanking Francis Howell, 21-0. That Vike loss came in the second game of the year for the high-flying
Howell has a habit of blanking their opposition, a feat the young Vikings have managed three times this season. Their latest triumph came in a 25-0 whitewash of the impotent Warrenton Warriors last weekend.
The Crusaders, of the ABC Conference, lost their fourth game of the year last Saturday when Country Day blasted the Crusaders, 35-0.
Lutheran North has one trophy to their credit this year and that being their decision over
The Crusaders have had their problems with a weak defense which has given up 110 points. On offense, the Crusaders have clicked for 49 tallies.
Francis Howell leads the county high schools in defense with 27 points, rank second in points scored and field three running backs with better than a 4.0 yard average per carry.
Game time tonight, the last home game for Francis Howell, this year, will be at 8 p.m. All Francis Howell home games are played at the C&H park.
The Daily-Banner News, October 29, 1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q Quick
LUTHERAN NORTH 21, FRANCIS HOWELL 13. The Vikes had their troubles scoring against a rather weak Warrenton team last weekend. Although Howell leads the county in scoring [defense], the Lancers [Crusaders]of Lutheran North should spear the Vikings’ three-game winning streak.
Prep Picks
Howell over Lutheran North 15
The
Amazin’ Vikes Do It Again!
Those Amazing Vikings of Francis Howell struck again with their defensive fury Friday as
The victory was the fifth straight for Coach Frank Davis’ chargers, and their eighth in the last nine games. And of equal impressive interest is the fact that it was Howell’s third straight shutout victory, it’s fifth whitewashing of the year and the seventh in the last nine. The Vikings, now with a 6-1 record for the season, have been touched for only 27 points—including 21 in the one defeat. The 3.8 defensive point average per game keeps Francis Howell among
The Vikings will close up their seasonal campaign this Friday when they travel to neighboring
After a scoreless first half last Friday, in which Lutheran North played the dominating role, the Vikings erupted with confidence in the second half to take charge. Junior fullback Dale Stevener cut loose for the initial score in the third stanza, with a 42-yard TD sprint. Tim Morgan toed on the extra point to make it 7-0.
Junior quarterback Steve Smith, whom Davis credited with calling and playing one of his finest games as a signal caller, tacked on the second score when he crashed over from the one in the last quarter.
“Steve called a brilliant game,” Coach Davis remarked. “He read the defenses well and checked off at the line. And, for the first time, Steve threw the ball like he had real good confidence.”
Lutheran North had several good scoring threats perking, especially in the first half, but a rousing tackle by Bill Struckmann stymied one bid and Terry Kasper intercepted a pass to halt another id. A stone wall defense blocked another deep Lutheran effort in the last quarter.
Howell’s defensive guard [linebacker], Rick Miget, re-injured his shoulder and was sidelined for most of the game.
The Daily-Banner News, November 2, 1970
Howell wins 6th game
Vikes dump Crusaders, 13-0
By Mike Gothberg
Francis Howell made believers of their fans Friday might when the Vikings dumped a rugged Lutheran North team, 13-0.
The Vikings in only their second year of varsity competition ran their record to 6-1 and the shutout marked the fifth of the year for Coach Frank Davis’ boys.
Francis Howell, ranked in the state as one of the best defensive units, now boasts a record of not having been scored upon in 14 consecutive quarters. Three straight shutouts have lowered the Vikings’ opponents scoring average to 3.8 per game.
After playing the opening half scoreless, Francis Howell erupted for a pair of scores in the later half for the win.
Dale Stevener dashed home from the 42 yard line midway through the third period and Tim Morgan booted the extra point.
With four seconds to go in the game, Vike quarterback Steve Smith dove over from the one-yard line for the final six points.
“We’ve thought Steve would be a fine leader,” said Coach Davis of his quarterback. “He’s had the potential but until last night, he hasn’t had the confidence. Friday night, he played a great game, calling the right plays and checking off at the line.”
Smith completed five of eleven passes for 39 yards but had three passes dropped. Stevener rushed for 96 yards on 15 carries while Jim Spink gained 74 yards on seven carries.
:At the half, we still weren’t hitting hard,” noted
“They hit harder in that half than they’ve ever before. As a matter of fact, three times we knocked the helmet off a Lutheran runner. One of our boys came out of the game and told me he didn’t see how they (Lutheran) were getting up after the tackles,” added the Viking coach.
Prior to the season, Francis Howell’s coaching staff had anticipated a .500 season. With Friday’s win, the Vikings stand as a possible playoff team.
“It’ll depend upon how we do in the final game and how our opposition does,” said
This Friday, the Vikes close out the most successful football season in the
The Daily-Banner News, November 4, 1970
Howell, Duchesne remain atop county gridiron stats
Francis Howell, Duchesne and Ted Glosier continued to run away from their competitors this week in respective departments.
Francis Howell’s Vikings, winners of six of seven games, maintained their county defensive lead with the help of their 13-0 shutout over Lutheran North last Friday.
The Vikes have given up 27 points this year and rank as one of the top defensive teams in the state.
The
Vikings, Panthers Collide In Finale
By Nick West
The end of the 1970 football season draws to a close this Friday night for two
Unless the Panthers can pull the cat-out-of-the-bag they will wind up this year’s season with an exact duplicate of the team’s season record of a year ago, 1-8.
Presently the
The Panthers’ only scoring came on the legs of Larry Stogsdill who pushed his way across the goal line from three yards out. Stogsdill followed this by sprinting around the end to gather the two-point conversion. The eight points ran the halfback’s scoring total to 36 placing him fourth in scoring for area players.
Coach Connie Stafford’s panthers have enjoyed the sweet taste of victory only one time this season. Four weeks ago Zumwalt traveled to Warrenton where it managed to win its second game n two seasons by trouncing upon the Warriors 42-20. Since that time, and even before the Warrenton game, the Panthers have witnessed their team dwindle away due to injuries here and there, forcing the loss of key players from on or two days to a week, and in some cases the injuries sidelined players for the remainder of the season.
Opponents have been taking advantage of the Panther situation by running up quite a scoring figure.
A win this Friday would give Panthers their best record of the last two seasons, but they will have to fight for every yard of it if they hope to beat Francis Howell in the closing game.
The Vikings are now leading the area teams in the standings as they enjoy a 6-1 record. The record also represents how far the Vikes have come in the last year. The 1969 season brought about the start of Francis Howell’s first varsity team. The first year team pulled through the season with only a 2-5 record, not bad for a first year team but still not close to what the Vikings have built up this year.
Vikings victory number six cam by way of a 13-0 shutout last Friday against Lutheran North. The win was not only the fifth straight for Howell but also its third straight sut-out victory. The shutout was the fifth for Coach Frank Davis’ boys this year as well as the seventh blanking handed out by the Vikes in their last nine games.
Junior fullback Dale Stevener ran his season scoring total to 30 as he ran 42 yards for his fifth TD of the season. Quarterback Steve Smith also added to his total with a touchdown from one yard out to give him a total of 24 points. Kicking one more onto his total was Tim Morgan who booted an extra point to raise his total to 17 for the season, with one game remaining.
The Vikings have had a tough defense this season as their record of shutout victories shows. On the defensive side only 27 points have been totaled against them. This gives Howell a defensive point average of 3.8 per game, good enough to keep them among
Only one time this season has the defense slacked off enough to allow the Vikes opponents to outscore them. Not only did the defense fall off but the offense production during that game was nil. This one bad blemish on the Vikings record appeared in the second game of the season for Francis Howell. In that game Priory emerged with a shutout of 21-0.
Although
“Zumwalt is very unpredictable. They (
Last year the Vikings slipped past the Panthers 6-0 for Howell’s second and final win of the season.
In this final game for both schools, the teams will be fighting a hard fought battle. One to finish the year with only one loss and the other trying not ot end the season with only one victory.
The
When You Got The Spirit
By Nick West
Spirit…..this is a major contributing factor to the performance of any team no matter what anyone may say. This is especially true for high school teams in sports.
Possible one of the major reasons for Francis Howell’s success in athletic events this year is because of the spirit which is felt among those around the Viking campus.
It is hard to determine what comes first; a winning team then spirit or spirit and then a winning team. No matter which comes first both contribute to each other, and the prime example in this area will have to be Francis Howell.
The Vikings and their fans are presently enjoying the success obtained by their football and cross country teams. Howell’s gridiron members now hold a 6-1 record and the cross country boys built their 9-3 regular season record to the finest in Francis Howell’s history.
The Vikings are now engaged in their second year of varsity football. As a first year team last year the Vikes managed to get a 2-5 record while the harriers gained only one victory for the season.
UNDER CONSRUCTION at Francis Howell is a new six lane track which will encircle a new gridiron playing field. Located behind the school, the athletic field adds one more thing for the Howell community to take pride in. Although the field will not be completed before the next school year it will help boost the interest of the students in sports.
Although the cross country team had a very successful season, the Viking football team is now in the limelight. Attendance at the away games has been almost, if not higher than those played at home.
“The spirit given the (football) team, not only by the students, but also the faculty and the residents, has been very good. The people are proud of the team’s record and the boys are out there not only to win but to please the crowd,” commented Francis Howell’s Athletic Director, Frank Davis.
The spirit of the fans is a driving force behind the team. This may be one of the reasons why
There are not many schools which can say that when its team plays games away from the home field that there are very many fans that go to the games. This has been one thing which has pleased
“AT EVERY GAME except
“Our teachers have turned into regular Monday morning quarterbacks. In the teacher’s lounge on Mondays you find teachers sitting there running through the game with each other,”
This type of interest is happening in every school. It is most noticeable at Francis Howell because this is the first year that success has hit in the area of football and cross country. Spirit of this type in school is good because it pulls those who attend it together and forms an interest which all can partake in.
[Do the players hear the game? I remember hearing three things at
St. Louis Post-Dispatch, November 6, 1970
Prep Picks
Howell over
The Daily-Banner News, November 6.1970
Nick’s Picks
By Nicholas Q. Quick
FRANCIS HOWELL 22
The Daily-Banner News, Friday, November 6, 1970
Howell, Panthers meet in traditional final
Both coaches had predicted .500 clubs when the season was still a month away from starting. Since then, neither coach has been correct in his predictions.
Francis Howell and
Francis Howell, in only its second year of varsity competition, sport the finest defensive team in the county along with the best win-loss record.
However, picking a sure winner tonight is much like selecting a race horse without consulting the racing form.
Last year, the Vikes met Coach Connie Stafford’s forces in a similar situation. The Panthers were winners on only one game and had been beaten by such improbable margins as 72-13, 52-0 and 50-0.
As it turned out, Francis Howell escaped with a 6-0 victory and caused Coach Stafford to say this morning, “We beat them everywhere but on the score. Our boys have been pretty down this year but I expect them to be up for tonight’s game.”
Francis Howell enters tonight’s game with a string of 14 consecutive quarters to their credit where they have blanked their opposition.
Howell whipped Lutheran North last week, 13-0 to add to their 25-0 victory over Warrenton the week before. The lone Vike loss of the year was handed them by Priory, 21-0 in the second game of the year. Howell has now won five straight and six of their seven tests of the year.
“It’s gong to be a tough one,” said Zumwalt’s
“Offensively speaking, we’ve been able to move the ball against every opponent we’ve faced. We just haven’t scored. But the offense can’t get up for the game knowing eht defense will let them down. That’s been our major problem all year. We’ve given up on defense,” added
Francis Howell brings a splendid defensive unit int the 8 p.m. contest. Ranked as one of the best in the state, Howell’s defensive squad has given up just 27 points this year. Windsor of Imperial was the only other team to score against the
“Howell is capable of scoring a lot of points,” noted
“We’ll be blitzing nearly 75 percent of the game tonight. We know their quarterback (Steve Smith) can’t release the ball quickly and if we apply the pressure to him, Howell may be in trouble,” said
Game time tonight at
Howell Wins, 32-0
Zumwalt Can’t Defend Its Fort
By Gary Mueller
Connie Stafford found out last night how Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie and the boys at the
With the Fort Zumwalt High Cheerleaders yelling, “Defend the fort!”
But the
Howell was the team with the strong defense, as the Vikings registered their sixth shutout in a 7-1 season.
“We have seven of our defensive starters back next year,” said Howell coach Frank Davis. “And that includes our two linebackers, Rob Grace and Rick Miget. I think they’re two of the finest linebackers in the area. They’ll really stick you.”
Most of the time, it’s difficult telling Howell’s linebackers from its linemen because Grace and Miget play up so close.
‘Zumwalt has a fine halfback in Larry Stogsdill and we wanted to be sure we stopped him at the line of scrimmage,”
Stogsdill finished with a net of 17 yards on 21 carries as Zumwalt managed only 33 net yards and didn’t get across midfield until only five minutes remained in the game.
Howell meanwhile piled up 322 net yards and, in addition to scoring five touchdowns, moved inside the Zumwalt 20 on four other occasions, but two field goal attempts failed, Zumwalt’s Neal Flowers intercepted a pass at the goal and the Panthers’ Mike Lee recovered a fumble at the Zumwalt 8.
All of which gave the Howell fans plenty to shout about.
The
Eight Shutouts in 10 Games
Howell Gridders Close With 6 Straight
The magnificent Vikings of Francis Howell closed the books on their finest football season Friday as they stymied the Fort Zumwalt Panthers 32-0, in the final regular season game for both county teams.
Coach Frank Davis’ enthused Howell raiders, with a 7-1 record, finished with six straight victories. Six of the seven wins came via the shutout route, including the last four in a row.
Since losing the first five games of the 1969 season – the initial year of varsity football – Francis Howell has won nine of ten, eight of them by whitewashing the enemy.
For the host Zumwalt Panthers it was the end of a disappointing season. Riddled by injuries throughout the campaign, the Panthers suffered through their second straight 1-8 warfare and finished with a five game wrong way streak.
The Panthers were never able to mount a serious threat against the hungry Viking defense. In fact, Zumwalt started only three scrimmage plays from inside Howell territory all night and the deepest penetration reached Howell’s 44-yard line. Zumwalt’s longest march was 36 yards, including a 15 yard penalty against Howell.
After a sluggish and scoreless first period in which Tim Morgan missed two Howell field goal tries and Zumwalt’s Neal Flowers intercepted a TD-bound aerial on the goal line, the Vikings cut loose with 19 markers in the second stanza.
It started on the second play of the second perios when junior Rob Grace, one of the seven underclassmen on Howell’s starting defense, intercepted a Gary Wofford pass on the Panther 32. On fourth down from the 31, junior quarterback Stave Smith faded to pass then, picking up blocks from Mark Viers and Dale Stevener, sprinted into touchdown land. Morgan split the uprights with his kick and it was 7-0 with 10.09 left in the half.
The Vikings also scored the next two times they had control of the pighide. After a Panther punt, the Vikes set up shop from their 49 and went the 51 yards in eight plays. The payoff came from the 15 where Steve Smith tossed a pass to Jim Spink on the two, who wheeled and fell into scoring land. A bad snap prevented Morgan trying fo the extra and it was 13-0, with 4:28 still showing.
Howell was back for more two minutes later. This time the Vikings blasted out the needed 56 yards in two plays. Viers zoomed for 34 yards to the Panther 22 on the first play, then Stevener went straight through the middle o the next call and it was 19-0. Desi Kerr blocked Morgan’s try for the dessert.
The Vikings continued their bombardment starting the second half when they took the kickoff and swept 58 yards in six plays. Spink, Stevener and Viers alternated at carrying for good gainers to the Panther 4 from where Viers carried it over. Steve Smith tried to leg over a two point conversion but missed and it was 25-0 with 8:47 left in the third.
Howell was gifted to a pair of scoring chances in the fourth but cashed in on only one of them. Rick Miget covered for Howell on the Panther 9 when Stogsdill got the first of his two bad snaps on punting plays. The Vikings, however, fumbled the ball right back to the Panthers on the first play.
After making it out to the 22, the Panthers again became stymied and Stogsdill went back to punt, got his second poor snap and was smeared on the 4, where the Vikes took over. On the first play, Spink romped over for his second TD of the festivities and Morgan was back on form with his conversion to make it 32-0, with 6:52 left to tick in the season. However, the scoring ledger had been closed out for the year, and the game ended with sophomore quarterback Terry Kasper trying to engineer another Viking tally.
Stevener, a 190-pounder who will be back next season, led the real estate collectors with 144 yards in 11 carries from scrimmage, a good 13-plus per carry average. Viers, a senior, finished with 74 yards in 15 touches of the pighide, while Steve Smith had 24 for four and Spink mustered 21 in five. Altogether the Vikings gained 280 yards in 40 carries from scrimmage. They added 42 yards on four of 13 pass completions to finish with 322 total yards.
Fort Zumwalt, held to a minus five yards from scrimmage carries and completed but one of 16 passes for another five yards to post a mere 39 yard offense. In addition to Stogsdill’s 21 yards, Kerr a 170 pound junior, had 20 yards in seven carries and Neal Flowers had 13 in four. Quarterback Wofford lost 22 in three carries.
Another Smith for Howell, John Smith, a fast and hard striking 230 pound junior tackle, was a Panther-hungry Viking on defense. Among his many mates joining him with vital acts of defense were Grace, Miget, Bill Struckmann, Ken Lister, Lee Coe and associates.
Bob Collins, a 145-pound sophomore, had several good defensive moments for
The Daily-Banner News, November 9, 1970
7-1 record for FH
Vikings blank FZ as defense shines
By Mike Gothberg
Francis Howell closed its 1970 season on the same note the Vikings have sung all year, shutting out their opponent.
The Vikes, with a 32-0 decision over the hapless Panthers of Fort Zumwalt, registered their eighth shutout in their last ten games and won their seventh games of the year.
Francis Howell’s defense, highly ranked in the state, made easy work of the Panther offense holding
With 10:19 remaining in the first period, Vike quarterback Steve Smith rolled back on a passing play. Finding his receivers covered, the junior QB rambled downfield 31 yards and a touchdown. Tim Morgan came through with the PAT.
Jim Spink put the Vikings two up midway into the second period as he grabbed a Smith aerial and scampered 15 yards for the score.
Less than two minutes later, Dale Stevener, the Viking’s workhouse, tallied on a sparkling 22 yard touchdown run.
“We had some trouble adjusting to their new defense,” said Coach Frank Davis. “But after we squared around, we were alright.”
Mark Viers got into the scoring act in the third period as he crossed over on a four-yard run. Spink then tallied on a four-yard run to close out the scoring for the Vikings as well as the game.
For the Vikings, their winning margin was the highest total registered all season. It also marked the second straight shutout win over
“They were two platooning us,” noted Coach Stafford who suffered his eighth loss of the year. “We held them for one quarter but we gave out. Larry (Stogsdill) came out of the game and he was really huffing and puffing. He’s in great condition so it gives an indication just how tough a game it was.”
Stogsdill, one of the leading rushers in the county was stopped by the Vike defense. He gained only 21 yards rushing with his longest play from scrimmage a six-yard effort.
Stogsdill did manage to pick up a total of 156 yards in the game which included punt and kick off returns. His figure pushed him past the 1000-yard mark, the first ever accomplished by a
Coach Stafford, speaking of the Vikings’ defensive game said, “They have the finest defense we’ve faced this year. It appeared better than Duchesne’s.”
He added, “Howell’s backs weren’t that tough to bring down. But their running game opened up their passing attack which we couldn’t handle. (Steve) Smith had plenty of time to set up even though we were throwing a seven man rush at him.”
Smith completed four of 13 passes and netted 42 yards. He scored once and threw a 15-yard strike to Spink for another score.
“They’re passing game wasn’t up to par,” noted
Gary Wofford, the sophomore quarterback from the O’Fallon school, completed jst one pass in 15 attempts.
“We had the ball there several times,” said
“Most of the Zumwalt rushing yards came in the second half,” said
Next year appears brighter for Zumwalt while Howell is expected to once more field a powerful team. Prior to the season, both coaches had agreed that this year would see .500 clubs. Zumwalt finished the year at 1-8 while Howell closed out the 1970 campaign at 7-1.
Said
“All our lineman will return and we played only three seniors. It looks good nest year,” declared the Panther coach.
Coach Davis simply added, “We’ll be tough in ’71.”
Francis Who? Howled at 7-1
Francis Howell, unknown to many high school football followers, played its games this season in the shadow of obscurity. That makes sense.
“I’ll tell you what’s been kind of discouraging,” Howell coach Frank Davis said. “When I’d call up the papers and tell them I’m calling with the summary of the Francis Howell games, they’d say, ‘Francis Who?’”
Somehow, Francis Who” doesn’t have the endearing quality of Archie Who?
BOt, for the record, Francis Howell is located in
Despite the record, it was not until last week that the Vikings (Owls does sound better) were ranked in the Post-Dispatch small-school Top 10. Howell was No. 8.
“People, I guess, don’t think we’re for real,”
One of the problems
Underconfidence,
“Against Lutheran North, our kids were a little underconfident,” the coach said. “They actually took the field not sure of victory.”
When the Vikings came into the locker room at halftime, however, they realized that they could not only compete with their ABC League opponent, but they could beat Lutheran North, as well. An amazing discovery. Howell shut out Lutheran North, 13-0.
“They found out they don’t have to be afraid of anybody.’
Even before they found out they were nobody’s fools, the Vikings were hitters. The team went 2-5 in its first season on the varsity level, and, as
The Vikings won their games this year with a defense that is the second best in the
“I put my 11 best on defense,” said
His best this year were linebackers Rob Grace and Rick Miget and middle guard Kevin Oberdick (all about 5-feet-10 and 170 pounds. The offensive standouts for Howell were quarterback Steve Smith (6-2, 185) and Dale Stevener (6-0, 190).
“We’ve been fortunate, lucky and all the other things that go along,” said
“When we started, we had only one kid who had played any kind of football. They were underconfident, but they don’t have to be afraid of anybody.”
You’ve come a long way, Francis. (Who?)
By Gary Mueller
CLASS 3A, DISTRICT FOUR – Lutheran South (4-4), Francis Howell (7-1), Moberly (7-2) and
The Daily-Banner News, November 13. 1970
Duchesne closes out its 1970 season next Friday night when it travels to
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