Let the Dynasty begin! We won our first DVC title in 1962. Three more championships belong to the Colonels in the next four years. We narrowly miss making it five in a row when we lose a championship game in 1965. Colonels are winners.
That first championship team was led by captains Charles "Hot Shot" Strong and Julius "Pork Chop" Garcia. A lot of Colonels had colorful nicknames through the years -- I know, I had one that I choose to forget. There were twelve senior lettermen on the 1962 team. Our championship dynasty relates back to them. They are: Billy Adams, Jimmy Summerall, Dan Wilkes, Spencer Powers, Carsie Bozeman, Cooper Hogue, Gil Evans, Ray Lovelady, Charles Strong, Julius Garcia, Billy Bobbs, and Jack Jenkins. We applaud and salute you. Thank you for paving the way for those of us who follow.
The total domination of that 1962 Colonels team was astounding. We were undefeated with a record of 10 - 0. The Colonels scored 371 points that year. Our opponents combined for 28 points in ten games. We scored more than 28 points in seven of our victories. Championships followed in 1963, 1964, and 1966. The five Colonels teams from 1962 - 1966 amass a record of 46 - 5 -1. The only loss to a DVC opponent was in the conference championship game in 1965. During those five years, the only regular season losses were to Big 8 powerhouse Greenville in 1963 and 1964, and to St. Aloysius led by future LSU great Eddie Ray in 1965. We also lost to Mendenhall in the Oil Bowl on November 22, 1963, the day President Kennedy was assassinated. A very impressive five years! Colonels are winners.
During the championship run, the head coach position for the Colonels had changed three times. Bob Dunaway was the head coach in 1962 &1963, Charles Peets in 1964 & 1965, and Homer "Cotton" Robertson in 1966. Although the staff leadership changed, the team stayed consistent. The fifth and final team in that five-year span was the 1966 Colonels. They, like the 1962 team, were undefeated and finished the regular season 9 - 0. They were invited to play in the Mississippi Bowl in Clinton against Prentiss. The Colonels won a hard fought game 7 - 3 when Harvey Spurgeon scored a touchdown late in the game. Following the conclusion of that bowl game, there was a ceremony to present the award for Outstanding Contributor to High School Athletics in Mississippi. The 1966 award went to COACH CAIN! He is OUR coach. He had been the one constant for the Colonels. We all had learned from Coach Cain. It was awesome to see him recognized for his contributions to high school athletics. He was one of the great influences in my life. Because of Coach Cain, Colonels are winners.
The junior high season ended before the high school season, so in 1966 the ninth graders got to practice with the varsity and dress out for the final home game. Although I was a freshman, I didn't get to play. But, several of my classmates got in for a few plays. We were part of a winning tradition. We were Colonels.
After the Mississippi Bowl, we focused on other sports and also prepared for the next season by lifting weights and running. Spring training was approached with much enthusiasm. After five years of such dominance, expectations of the Colonels were high. We worked hard getting ready for the next season. Playing on the varsity is much different. I started at the bottom. But I was a Colonel and that was important to me. After spring training ended, we moved on to yet more sports for the rest of the school year.
The summer of 1967 was my last summer before getting a driver's license. Colonels are expected to lift weights three times a week in the summer to get stronger for the upcoming football season. Getting there can be a problem when you don't drive yet. I had one of those Sears Allstate mopeds that I had inherited from my brother, and I would ride from Egremont to the weight room. I also caught rides with others when it was raining. I remember goofing off a lot when I went. I didn't expect to play much, but just being a Colonel was a wonderful experience. Over the summer, the excitement was building for the impending season.
We made the annual trip to football camp to start practice. We had thirty-two players on the team, but only nine seniors. There were First Team players, there were Second Team players, and there were the “leftovers.” I was one of the Leftovers. I wasn't very good. I tried, but I was neither as fast nor as quick as the better players. I wasn't as strong, either. The good news for me was that during scrimmages, I was on the sidelines a lot. I didn't get as tired as those fighting it out for playing time. Roger Truesdale and I would crack a lot of jokes on the sidelines. But practices at camp ended with the hill. The hill is just as hard, if not harder, to run up if you are a Leftover. We finished camp and headed home to get ready for our first game against Noxubee County.
Some of my classmates contributed more to the team than I did. While some started, others were on the Second Team ready to step in when needed. I would mostly watch from the bench. Our seniors that year were George Schimmel, Ken DeCell, Willard Miller, Carl Thornhill, Bobby Rutherford, Charles Weissinger, Charles Ray Tilghman, Roger Truesdale, and Richard Jue. I looked up to the seniors and wondered if I would be able to contribute as much when I was a senior. Guys like George and Ken were leaders in the classroom as well as on the football field; I viewed them as role models.
We were ready for our first game. We had to travel to Macon to play Noxubee County. They were not in our conference, and we did not know much about them. We loaded the buses for our trip. One of the highlights of being a Colonel that first year for me was stopping at a restaurant to eat when going to away games. Growing up in Egremont didn't create many opportunities to go to restaurants. I watched some of the other guys to make sure I didn't do anything stupid. We got to Macon in time to get some rest before the game. It didn't much matter to me; I wouldn't be playing. It was a hard fought game and we won 14 - 0. We had respect for the team from Macon -- the Colonels usually won by more than that. Colonels are winners.
Our next game was on Our Field against Leflore County. This was our first conference game. We were ready. Or, the team was. I would watch from the sidelines. The second team and even the leftovers like me played an important role in helping the starters get ready for the game. We practiced against them and ran the next opponent's offense and defense to get the starters ready for the game. The game was even more difficult than the one against Noxubee County. The game ended as a 7 - 7 tie -- on Our Field! It wasn't a loss, but it was very disappointing. Our team needs to improve -- especially on offense. We have only scored three touchdowns in two games. We need to practice harder and become more focused.
The next game is an away game against Cleveland. We lose 8 - 14. This was a huge disappointment! After three games, we are 1-1-1. That was not a Colonels-type record. After the Cleveland game, we stopped at the Quickie Drive-in to get something to eat for the long drive home. There were too many of us for them to handle. They got our orders mixed up and just gave us whatever came off the grill. I got a fish sandwich (not what I had ordered), but the buses were loading. I reluctantly took the fish sandwich and got on the bus. This proved to be a very unpleasant bus ride on so many levels.
My mother was waiting to pick me up when the bus got back to school. I was glad -- I was feeling sick. It was only a five-minute drive home, and I was even sicker when we got there. I barely made it out of the car before I threw up. I had a fever, too. My mother helped me into the house -- she took my temperature. Throughout the night she was there putting cold wet towels on me. I become somewhat delirious and my fever went up to 106 degrees -- and that was with all the effort my mother was making through the night to keep it down. She called Dr. Lynch and took me to the hospital. I had a severe case of food poisoning. I stayed in the hospital for almost a week. I had visitors from school who came see me and brought assignments. Some of my teammates stopped by, as well. They told me to milk it for as much sympathy as I could. I don't remember how long I was away from football practice. I do remember being very weak from the food poisoning for some time. I also know that I never ate at the Quickie Drive-in again
The next game was a big one! We were playing Leland on Our Field and they were undefeated. We knew they were good. And we found out just how good they really were. We lost 6 - 27 on Our Field. This was the first loss by any Colonels football team in many years on Our Field. The team was demoralized. We won the next two games, but there was another loss to South Panola at Batesville. We tied St. Aloysius at St. Al before wrapping up with two more wins on Our Field. We finished the season with a record of 5 - 3 - 2. This had not been a typical Colonel season. I'm not sure what explains it. Maybe our team was not as good that year. Maybe the competition was better than normal. Maybe there was not the normal Colonel- team chemistry. Whatever the cause, we dedicated ourselves to returning to the Colonel winning tradition in the next year. Colonels are winners.
Boys on the football team were proud to be Colonels. One symbol of belonging to that special group was the jacket we all received when we lettered in football for the first time. In order to letter, you were required to play in a certain number of quarters. It is possible that you were in one play and the quarter still counts. There were players on the Second Team who were on the kickoff team. When we scored, they would get a play in because they were in for the kickoff. They automatically lettered. I was not on the kickoff team. I did not get in very many games. I knew I was not eligible to letter my sophomore year. I did not play in enough quarters. But I was on the list as lettering and I got my football jacket and I was so proud to wear it. I knew there had to be a mix-up, but I thought it was better not to say anything. I would do my best to show that I deserved that jacket. Colonels are winners.
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