Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Colonel thought to share some emails that were sent out to the Classes of 1970-72 database about the upcoming "Gathering of Friends." In this venue, you can view what is being posted even if you are not in that email link.

Sent on Thursday, March 15..... A Gathering of Friends

 

Well, in two weeks, I'll be packing my bag and my gumbo ingredients so that I can head out on Friday. I'm really looking forward to this "gathering of friends"- not really a reunion. I am so excited about the weekend.

 

Last year, I thought our 3-class reunion was such fun! I saw people that I hadn't seen in years. There were some I recognized right away, while others gave me more problems. Hard for me to believe that Mike Huoni had to take off his cap and sunglasses before I could identify him. (We're almost kin and have known each other our whole life! I just hadn't seen him in the past 15 years.) I looked out of the window at Lee's house and saw Tom Griffin drive by. I hadn't seen him in 40 years, but I recognized him right off.

 

I was overwhelmed when, although we had said it was a tailgate party with everyone just bringing food for himself/herself, people started bringing food to a community table to share their bounty. Denise Heigle Mann made the most awesome pimento cheese sandwiches. We are going with the same tailgate idea this year, and we'll see how it turns out.

 

Gary Hays and his wife helped greet people in the front hall. (I can still remember the fringed leather coat he wore in elementary school.) Bill Vandevender and Ann helped with the food arrangement in the dining room. Bill also wanted to make sure the website would continue to be posted for the next couple of years so he made a donation, as did Martha Carter Abney. (I will certainly honor that request from Bill. We will miss him terribly.)

 

It was such fun to see different people walk up the sidewalk. Sometimes I could almost imagine their younger-self as I watched. Marshall Lynch, you look just the same; so does Gail Heigle Clark. I hadn't seen Greg Bennett since we taught together at Solomon Jr. High in Greenville- what fun. Who knew he would turn out to be a daredevil? Skydiving? Really????

 

Leading up to the reunion, I talked to so many people on the phone. Jon Shirley and I would chat on Facebook early in the morning (it was even earlier for him in Dallas). He called me the week before the reunion, and we had the best conversation. He was disappointed that he wouldn't be able to attend, but would try to be at the next one. I miss him terribly. Kenneth Burns couldn't make it, but he promised he'd be there for the next one and I understand he has his airline ticket in hand. Perhaps he'll win the prize for traveling the greatest distance. I also talked to Bob Davis. Don't know how he got to be so young, but he has two sons, both still in high school! Last year they had baseball games on April 8. This year, however, he said their schedule is clear, and he plans to be there.

 

I missed seeing a lot of people. I just knew Mary Beth Blanchard Luke would be there, but she couldn't come. Bill Marshall was another who had to back out at the last minute. I had hoped to see Eddie Wilson, but he couldn't come in. I will be so disappointed if I don't get to see all three of them this year. I know Lynette Denton West is trying to attend.

 

Debbie Lambert and Arthur Slatten went separate ways after high school and then found each other again- a little later in life. They are such a cute couple. It was so nice to see them. They got to reconnect with others they haven't seen in a while like Debra Hammons Wright. Carol Hawkins Trotter was with us last year, but teaching workshops will keep her busy this year so she won't be able to attend. Not only was Carol a wonderful class photographer in fifth grade, but she is an awesome writer. I'm hoping she will share more stories with us that can be posted on The Colonels Commentary.

 

The conversations that I overheard were priceless. I listened to Buzzy Carter point to the Cary Methodist Church and reminisce about the night he and several others had stopped at the church and he got married. He couldn't really remember, but he thinks he married Jane Gay Tucker! He thought Debra Hammons was with them, but she swore she didn't remember the event!

Later in the afternoon last year, I looked up to see Willy Bearden, Thad Virden, Jean Cortright, Marily Pippin, and Nancy Barnard Virden walk in. I had told Willy about the event. He and the others came down to Cary after the Blues Festival was over. That was so much fun. It was then that several of us started thinking that it would be nice for others to attend. We all went to school together. Some came before us, some came after.... but we all went to RFHS. I am so happy that there are people who are planning to come this year that were 8 or so years older than us and others that are up to 5 or 6 years younger. Deborah Lamensdorf Jacobs is planning to fly in from Atlanta. She'd like to just see people that she hadn't seen in a while.

 

Those of us who ever attended Fielding L. Wright Attendance Center or Rolling Fork High School are connected. We had wonderful experiences that aren't often replicated in other communities. I hope you will be there to share the day with your former classmates. As I said earlier, this is no longer a true reunion, but instead a Gathering of Friends. Since last year, we have lost Bill Vandevender, Becky Pickle Boykin, Jon Shirley, and Kathy Kerr. I want to make sure I can make new memories with old friends while I can. I hope to see as many of you there as possible. Please share the event with anyone who ever attended RFHS. Let them know that they are welcomed- this isn't a closed event- quite the contrary.

Rickey Moore's poolhouse. About 1.5 miles south of Cary- just off Highway 61. Saturday, March 31 beginning at 2:00 p.m. (You may come a little earlier, if you'd like.) My cell phone is 985 778-9832 if you have questions or need directions.

I'll see you there and I am so excited!

Maryanne

Sent on Friday, March 16 ... This Past Year

Last year there were so many people helping to plan for the reunion, that now it is so simple to keep in contact. Jim McNeely is amazing!All of the reunion pictures and albums were thanks to him and his wife Pam- an honorary classmate. If I am ever looking for a long-lost friend, I'm calling Jim. He was able to help find so many of our former classmates. We only had to provide tiny bits of information and Jim was right on it. Of course, I will never divulge which ones of you he uncovered! LOL (no one is safe) We had chains going all over, as well. I'd ask one person who would call someone else who would email yet another person. I never knew who would call in with the winning find. More often than not, it would be the spouse of a former classmate. BJ Nichols (Roy's wife) would notice email addresses that I had used that were wrong and send me an email with the correction. Other classmates are now connected through spouses Facebook pages- like Glen Jennings' wife.

 

Cheryl Berry Welch helped with just about everything! Martha Carter Abney did, too. They both copied, cut, and glued old pictures for remembrances late into the night the night before the reunion. Jane Spivey Lawler was there bright and early on Saturday helping to set up, decorate, and get organized.. Albert Mahalitc didn't get to the reunion itself until late, but he had come early Saturday and again on Sunday delivering and picking up garbage cans for us. David Mann was the "go-to guy" in Rolling Fork. (Thanks, Denise!) Randy Hengst delivered, set up, and later removed tables. His wife, Tyann baked chocolate chip cookies for me that I didn't have time to do.

 

Those that couldn't attend have sent in emails giving us updates before the reunion and some all through the year, like Nonie Freeney, Rickey Flowers, Carl (David) Freeney, Scott Neeper, and Bob Davis.I received an email from Nonie just today. She told me that Carl (aka David) will be there this year with his wife, Sharon. Nonie says she is so sorry that she won't be able to attend, but she sends her regards. She lives near her sister Ebbie.

 

After the Reunion was a closed chapter Kenneth Burns came in to carry the torch. He has been the main person to encourage reaching out to all of our former classmates- anyone (older or younger) who went to RFHS. Because of that, we will get to see Deborah Lamensdorf Jacobs, Carl Freeney, Hot Shot and Judy Strong, and many from the Rolling Fork area. We've even had people like Ricky Lee ask to get the email updates so he knows when to go to the webpage or The Colonels Commentary to see a story.

 

Jack Middleton (our miracle!) want be able to attend this year, but hopefully again another year. Jack is very involved in his church, so won't be able to attend because of an event. I've heard (from his mother) that Merritt Aden will stay much longer to party this year. Either his wife Debbie (she wasn't able to attend last year because she had recently had surgery) will be his DD or he will bring his camper! LOL We hope to see Billy again this year, as well.

 

Tomorrow, we'll have another update. My mother told me that she had heard I wasn't sending out as much information this year as last, so I've got to get busy for the next week and a half! If you wonder where she heard this...... from some of your parents!

Reflections on RFHS- #2

Happy Valentine's Day!
Below, you will find a compilation of Facebook posts that people have made within the past month.Others have commented which I also tried to capture. There has been quite a lot of activity through the RFHS Reunion site there, but those of you without FB accounts don't get to see them. Thought you would enjoy and perhaps add other memories, as well.
As I awoke this morning, a Valentine I saw reminded me of the white Valentine's bags we would decorate in elementary school. It was so much fun cutting out the red hearts from construction paper and often adding frilly edges. We would bring in our set of Valentines and go around putting one in each of our classmate's bags. There were often heart-shaped suckers attached to the cards. I will never forget how jealous we all were in fifth grade when Bill Vandevender (a 6th grader!) knocked on the classroom door to offer Frances Cortright a box of chocolates!!!
FROM FACEBOOK:

·        Gary Henderson

I would like to post some things from a little different perspective than most of your memories. I was just a young elementary kid when most of you were in high school. I only got to go to the Rolling Fork public school through the 7th grade- around 1970-71. It was very disappointing for me because of the rich tradition we enjoyed, but I never got to play a sport as a "Colonel." I did get to experience Coach Cain's teaching and coaching in the 7th grade. He saw talent in me, encouraged me and opened up my desire to be the best I could be. He was an awesome man. But my teachers and coaches weren't my greatest influences- you were! What I would like to say is that for me, all of you were my idols. You have no idea how you influenced so many kids in elementary and jr. high. We looked up to you- We wanted to be you. I wanted to play the drums because Nat Alford played the drums. I wanted to sing in the quartet because Greg Bennett and Billy Freeney looked so cool and sounded so good. I wanted to be a football player just like Dos Shropshire, Willard Miller, Mark and Randall Atchley, Bill Marshall, Brooks Lynch and Jim McNeely. I wanted to have the personality and humor of Willy Bearden. You were my heroes! I experienced my first attraction to girls ("crushes") because Vicky French, Fern Carter, Susan Perkins and Renee Heigle were goddesses in my eyes. You showed me what life could be and the potential of finding myself. Because we had "Chucks," I got to witness you in a different environment than school. I got to see you relaxing and having fun. I can still remember Rodney Heigle and John Howard Lang playing pinball every afternoon after school. What was so cool though was that they actually talked to me. They didn't mind sharing a few moments with just a kid. They shared their thoughts on music- what was good and what wasn't. I learned about Rod Stewart and "Maggie May" from them. I can still see all you high school guys, after taking your dates home, coming by the dairy bar at 11:00 p.m., 12:00 or even 1:00 a.m. and getting something to eat and shooting pool for hours. Often Bob Davis, Don Norris, Lee Roy Miller and a host of others would let me shoot pool with them. It's the weirdest thing, but I can still see Renee Heigle singing "Hey Jude" one aftertoon surrounded by her friends while she sat on a chest freezer in our little dining area. I learned what was cool and what wasn't from you. I got to see who was dating who and who was "going steady." I also got to see all the fights that took place- who was really tough and who got the worst end of it. I think I won't mention any names , but you know who you were. Man, talk about action for a 10-12 year old kid! It was great. James Hoffman worked for my uncle, Paul Pierce, at the service station next door. He would talk to me and I got to know him as a pre-teen. I still remember hearing that he was killed in Vietnam. It hurt to know that somebody I knew was actually killed in a war. You'll never know how much it meant to this kid for you just to speak to me, say "hey Little Chuck," or just give me a smile. Maybe I'm being over-nostalgic, but to me, those were the best days of my life. I just want to say "thank you" for your influence on me that I still remember to this day. I might not have ever graduated as a Colonel, but there's still a Rolling Fork Colonel in my heart to this day because of you.

§ Eva Kolosiekwow, my cousin, Billy Freeney was 1 of ur idols?!? cool! I left there after 4th grade when Dad ( Coach Bob Dunaway) took the job n Vicksburg, but I still cherish the memories of my childhood there on Deer Creek!

Saturday at 4:12pm viamobile
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Gary HendersonI cherish them too.

Saturday at 4:14pm
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Kay Shropshire HellerYou're gonna make all us old folks cry! LOL

Saturday at 4:25pm ·
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Cal CarterNice post Gary! Similar recollections here except I didn't get to see all the late night activities. I remember John Lang playing pinball and the old chest freezer by the pool table. Remember John Lennon and Creedence Clearwater playing from the pa speaker, and I remember James Hoffman too. James was nice to the kids, I'm glad you posted that so he won't be forgotton.

Saturday at 4:29pm ·
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Gary HendersonThanks for the your comment, Cal. I could write for hours about those memories.

Saturday at 4:44pm

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Eva Kolosiek‎1 of my fav memories is getting to ride the bus w the football players to away games (I was secretly n love w John Schimmel LOL! He gave me his pep ribbons every wk...more precious to me than diamonds. Of course, his girlfriend was a cheerleader & she thought it was "cute"..I wanted to b HER!)

Saturday at 4:53pm viamobile·
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Kenneth BurnsGary, we'll take you up on the writing for hours. Get your manuscript to Maryanne and she will put it up on the Colonels Commentary!

Saturday at 7:11pm

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Kenneth BurnsGary, I do hope you will come to the reunion on March 31.

Saturday at 7:15pm
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Cheryl Berry Welch

Great memories! I left after 6th grade, but still have fond memories and feelings for RF. And, yes, didn't every girl have a crush on John Schimmel?? Karen Hand baby sat me and John would come by to see her and I would almost pass out - ...See More

Saturday at 9:54pm ·
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Donna Sue Marshall BlanksGreat letter, Gary. I smiled all afternoon.

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·        Kay Shropshire Hellercreated adoc.

The "first" Colonel

The first time (1958 or 1959) we made the Colonel goal post break-through was an experience!  Mr. Sizemore and some boys built the frame that the heavy brown craft paper would be stapled around.  I had someone.. think it was Finley Brown lay down and we traced his outline ... definitely his profile because that is hisnose for sure! LOL Stylized everything and added the beard and hat. I painted it all with red and gray enamel house paint… at least two coats. Then when it was dry later on that afternoon, we propped it up against the goal posts and a gust of wind immediately blew it over twisting the frame! I was distraught, not knowing how to fix it! Mr. Sizemore came to the rescue and they somehow straightened everything and secured it to the goal posts. But more problems lay ahead! When the team rushed out to bust through it… that heavy paper made even stronger with all those coats of enamel paint did not tear! The guys literally had to bust through the paper with their fists! From then on we made small slits across it so the paper would tear easier when the team rushed through onto the field. FYI.. did y’all remember that Mrs. Imogene Carter wrote the words to the “Victors” song which was set to Michigan’s fight song music. The pep rallies in the auditorium were really awesome events leading up to the Friday night games. So many of the people in Rolling Fork loaded up their cars and drove to the away games. Folks joked that someone could rob the whole town cause there wouldn’t be a soul there to stop them on those nights! In those days we lived and breathed football whether it was on the field, along the sidelines, or in the bleachers!

§ Phyllis AdamsMy goodness!!!
Can you remember who built the bonfires?
January 24 at 5:04am via·

Kay Shropshire HellerNo, got me on that but Grace Anna might. However, the plantation bell was ours. My dad had gotten it around 1955 or 1956. It sat in our backyard. I think my mother gave it to the football team after I graduated in 1961. So, either the Colonels started using it while Tommy was still in HS but definitely before Doss graduated. I have no idea what happened to it after that.

January 24 at 8:33am viamobile·

Kenneth BurnsKay, thanks so much for sharing your memories. On March 31, the classes of 1970, 1971 and 1972 will be having a "reunion" gathering. It will be informal and we want to invite any from the Colonels Era who are in the area to attend. It would be wonderful to have you, Phyllis, Grace Anna and others come to share your memories with us.

January 24 at 9:19am

Marilyn TilghmanI love the information about the first Colonel break-through, Kay! I painted quite a few of those myself!

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·        Soloman Edward Touchberry

I am so much older than you that you probably don't remember or know me. I had the pleasure and honor of playing on the first team that coach Dunaway coached at RF in 1960. We lost the DVC champship in a playoff by one point(held at Greenville HS stadium) to Leland. We had beaten them during regular season.
Their defensive ends were Emile Petro and Bobby Corolla. I think they both signed with MSU. It was Larry Jenkins' responsibility to block Emile Petro during both games. Several years ago Larry had to have surgery several times in his battle with cancer. His surgeon was none other than Emile Petro. Small world, Ken.

§ Kenneth BurnsI remember an Eddie Touchberry who was a hero to us young kids! :) I remember a lot from those early days. We had heroes like you and Larry and "Hot Shot" and "Pork Chop", Billy Adams and it just kept going and going. RFHS was a special place!

Saturday at 8:31pm

Reflections on RFHS- #1

Scott Neeper (RFHS Class of 1972) recently emailed with some things he had been reminded of after reading posts in The Colonel's Commentary. I really appreciate that he has chosen to share and I hope others will follow his lead. I think he shows that it is really an easy thing to do. It certainly made me smile as I read it--- because I remember, too.

There is nothing I can submit that would improve upon the wonderful history that Kenneth Burns assembled.  Kenneth did a truly splendid job in capturing the essence of the Colonels' spirit and pride. However, I had some memories that I wanted to share with others. Hopefully, each of them will submit their own special remembrances.

The athletes worked hard, but I think the Cheerleaders worked just as hard, if not harder.  I think about the countless hours they spent hand painting the football goal post break-through signs for each football game, and the little cut-out Colonels for everyone's lapels, just to mention a couple.  I can't remember if it was before we went to football camp at Lake Grenada or when we returned, but there was a large sign in the weight room with all the players’ names on it, and beside each name was a simple one syllable word like 'prod', 'plod', 'lug', etc.  It must have taken a lot of time, going through the dictionary, picking out these kinds of words, and assigning them one-by-one to the players’ names.  The Cheerleaders were relentless in their efforts to boost school spirit.  THANK YOU ladies and Charlie Darden for helping to create so many great memories.

I really enjoyed playing in the band, especially the Stage Band.  There's no telling how many contests and awards the Colonels Bands won.  Whether in Marching, Concert, or Stage Bands, we had a great time with Mr. Lunceford.  We went to contests in Jackson and Starkville, and Christmas Parades in Greenwood.

One time when I was in the 9th grade, we were in the gym practicing basketball with Coach Cain. For some reason the girls team was also in there that day.  Our (the guys) spirits were exceptionally high.  In fact, they were so high that I began smiling, while Coach Cain was instructing us.  Then Coach Cain saw my smile.  He called me over, placed his hand over my eyes, slid his hand down past my nose, and then back up, again and again.  Each time on the upstroke, his hand caught the bottom of my nose, creating discomfort, and saying “wipe that smile off your face.”  You haven't lived until you've had a smile wiped off your face by Coach Cain.  The funny thing is that I don't remember smiling!  I remember the other guys, Cauley (Chase), Humby (Marshall Lynch), Butch (Newman), et al, trying not to crack up or burst into laughter.  God, we might still be running, had that happened!  In all seriousness, I cannot say enough good things about Coach Cain.  He is truly the best man I have ever known.  I never wanted to disappoint him.

COLONELS FOOTBALL: A Decade of Dominance

Colonels Football spanned twelve seasons.  While the yearbooks for the 1958 and 1959 seasons show the schedule, they provide neither scores nor wins/loses. For the ten seasons from 1960 through 1969, the Colonels played 103 games.   Only once during that Decade of Dominance did we win less than eight games.  

Year	Wins	Losses	Ties
1960	8	3	0
1961	8	2	0
1962	10	0	0
1963	8	2	1
1964	9	1	0
1965	9	2	0
1966	10	0	0
1967	5	3	2
1968	8	1	1
1969	11	0	0
Totals	86	14	4

The Colonels were DVC Champs in five of the ten seasons; we lost in the championship game twice.  The team played in five bowl games, winning four. In our one loss, it was by two points.  By any standard, the Colonel years were very successful.  For a small town like Rolling Fork the success was like a dream.  Over the years, I have had many conversations with people from around the country about the schools we attended and where we grew up.  When I tell my stories, the response is often that the person wished he/she grew up in a community like ours.  I do believe that Colonels Football made my growing up years special to me and to many in our community.

In the DVC we had several regular opponents.  Our toughest foe had to be Leland.  We played them eleven times in the ten-year period for which I found won-loss records. (I’d be interested to know if players from the 1958 and 1959 football seasons would have the information/stats for those first two missing seasons.)  We played Leland twice in 1960.  We won the regular season game and they won in the DVC Championship game that year by a score of 7 - 6.  In the eleven games, we won seven games and Leland won four times.  We played Greenville twice and lost both times.  We did not lose to another team more than once.  We played Leflore County every year and they were consistently a tough foe.  We lost once and tied them twice.  And, two of our wins against Leflore County were by the score of 7 - 0, and another was a one point victory.  We also played St. Aloysius every year and lost once and tied once.  We never lost against Drew, Belzoni, Indianola, or Grenada.  We did tie Grenada once.  We were 9 - 1 against Cleveland.  The Colonels were a truly dominating force in the DVC.  The 1960s were a Decade of Dominance for the Colonels.

How did such a small school become a football power?  We did not have superior athletes.  We had very few players who played football in college.  College scouts were not at our games drooling over the prospects.  We were good and dominant because of the system.  In the first couple of installments I wrote about the dedication to excellence that was instilled in us by Coach Cain.  I explained how he was our secret weapon, and he didn't even coach the high school team after 1960, I believe.  He focused on the junior high boys and made them ready to be Colonels.  I also wrote about the weight program and football camp.  Those were new and innovative things back in the early 1960s.  If I recall correctly, it was Coach Dunaway who had the weight room built and started taking the team to football camp.  From the yearbooks, it looks like Coach Dunaway came to Rolling Fork in 1959. 

I remember a little, but not much, about the beginnings of the weight program.   My brother, Bobby, was on the junior high team when the weight room was built.  I recall that many people in the community thought it was expecting too much from players to come to the school during the summer to lift weights after working all day.  Coach Dunaway promised that if they would do this, he could turn the team into champions.  In 1960 we were in a conference championship game.  In 1961, we were in a bowl game.  We were DVC Champions in 1962.  The system was working and the entire community bought into it.  Coach Dunaway left and Coach Peets took over.  The success continued.  Coach Peets left and Coach Robertson became Head Coach and finished out the Decade of Dominance of the Colonels.

The changing of head coaches didn't affect the success.  We continued to dominate the competition.  The system stayed the same -- Coach Cain turning little boys into football players, lifting weights in the summer and football camp to start practice before school started.  Our success was also due to keeping our system simple.  We ran the same offense and defense, with very small modifications, year after year.  We ran both with no mistakes.  This was a winning formula.  I'm not sure when the first year of football camp occurred, but I think it was before the 1960 season.  Was it necessary to leave home for a week to practice football?  Other teams didn't do it, but then other teams didn't have a Decade of Dominance.  By the end of the Colonel Era, the entire community knew that lifting weights and attending football camp helped turn the Colonels into winners and threw their support into the program.  The first trip to football camp for a junior high boy was a scary thought.  What would they do to us?  It was one of those rites of passage -- after that first time, we had grown up a lot.  And year after year we went.  And we were winners -- every one of us, because we were Colonels.

There was no great secret for our success.   We became successful because of the dedication and the closeness we had as Colonels.  One of my teammates, when looking at an early draft of one of the first installments, suggested that while I might not want to get too "mushy" that I should express how much we cared for each other and loved one another as brothers.  Each and every one of us knew we could rely on one another.  We made solemn promises to each other that we kept.  Simply put, we were successful because we were Colonels, and we were the only Colonels.  

I wish to thank those who have taken the time to read this series about Colonels Football.  In the process of writing I began to remember more and more.  What started as a single story grew into a larger project.  I had help from others that I wish to thank.  Data from the early yearbooks were provided by Martha Carter Abney and MaryAnne Weissinger Smith.  Grace Anna Moore Hatcher, Phil Griffin, Jim McNeely, and Bob Wixon helped to fill in some details when I needed help.  And, I want to especially thank MaryAnne for setting up the Colonel's Commentary blog to post the stories and for sending out notifications of each post through FaceBook and by email.   I am solely responsible for any errors in the stories. 

By: Kenneth Burns

COLONELS FOOTBALL: A Perfect Ending

The Colonels finished the 1969 regular season undefeated and untied -- a season marred by the tragedy of the death of an opposing player and an uncertain future for the Colonel.   We were invited to play in the Red Carpet Bowl in Vicksburg, a game that would pit us against Jackson’s St. Joseph Rebels. They were also undefeated but had one tie, according to the "Official Souvenir Program" for the game, which by the way, sold for fifty cents.   The game was scheduled for November 21, 1969, one week after our final regular season game against Belzoni. 

The bowl game had caused us to postpone our end of season party, and we began to realize that it would not be so easy to have a party after the bowl game, either. We would get home too late at night. Our big end of the season bash might not happen. What a disappointment to a bunch of high school boys!

Another minor glitch in our plans was that there would be basketball practice the day after the game.  Basketball practice!?!?  It seems that when the coaches were scheduling games, they did not consider the possibility of a bowl game.  The plan had been that we would finish the football season, practice basketball for a week, and play our first two games on the Monday and Tuesday before Thanksgiving.  The bowl game was on a Friday night, and we would have our first basketball game on Monday night followed by another on Tuesday.  We practiced that weekend.  I looked back at the team photo for the basketball team and there were fourteen players -- thirteen of whom were on the football team.  We lost the first four basketball games of the year.  It wasn't easy to adjust from playing football to basketball in less than 72 hours.  We did, however, win six games in a row to finish the December schedule before Christmas.  And after Christmas, things would be different, very different.

We were excited to be in a bowl game against such a highly respected team.  St. Joe and RFHS had one common opponent -- St. Aloysius.  We had beaten St. Aloysius 28 – 8 while St. Joe routed them 34 - 12.  I remember the coach from St. Aloysius being interviewed on one of the Jackson stations about the game.  He seemed to think St. Joe was the better team.  Whether he really thought that or was just tweaking Coach Robertson, I'm not sure.  However, it surely helped to fire us up.   St. Joe's defense had allowed only 25 points in their eight victories listed in the program.  For some reason, the game they had tied was not listed.  We had allowed 54 points in our ten games, with 20 of those coming in the South Panola game.  It appeared to be a very good matchup.  We looked forward to the challenge.   Our coaches had looked at game tape, and we practiced against the schemes that St. Joe would most likely run against us.  We made no adjustments in our offensive or defensive schemes.  Our attitude was that any adjustment necessary would be for St. Joe to make and not the Colonels.   We would run our offense and defense and they would have to adjust and get ready for a butt-kicking.  We were ready.

The first Red Carpet Bowl was played in 1962.  This year would be the eighth time the bowl was played.  The 1964 Colonels had played in the third Red Carpet Bowl against Forest Hill.  The Colonels won 6 - 0.  The only score was a one-yard run by John Schimmel.  There were trophies given each year to the outstanding back and lineman from each team.  John Schimmel and Danny Martin were the Colonels who received those trophies in 1964.  St. Joe had not played in the Red Carpet Bowl previously. 

St. Joe was a small school, as well.  It was one of the few opponents who played the Colonels with roughly the same number of players in uniform for the game.  Most of the time, the other team had many more players than we did.  The Red Carpet program had team photos.  We had thirty-four players on the Colonels.  St. Joe also had thirty-four players in their team photo.  Their roster listed thirty-eight players.  I noticed they had several ninth graders listed on the roster.  I checked their jersey numbers and the ninth graders were not in the team photo.  Without the added ninth graders, the two teams had the same number of players -- a first for the Colonels.

St. Joe did have the Colonels outnumbered nine to six when it came to cheerleaders. Plus, Charlie Darden was our mascot, and they had nothing to compare to him! They may have had more cheerleaders than us, but with Renee Heigle, Denice Heigle, Mary Beth Blanchard, Janice Smith, Libby Jones and Gail Heigle representing us, we had the prettiest cheerleaders. You could really tell that when comparing the pictures in the program. We were very proud of our cheerleaders -- they helped provide the spirit that is necessary for a championship team.  The Colonels were also proud of the fact that they had an award-winning band to impress and stir the fans. The sound of the band in the auditorium and the cheerleaders pumping up the student body provided us with the most electric atmosphere for that final Colonels pep rally.  

We went through our pre-game warm-ups and before we knew it, it was game time.   I don't remember being as nervous as I was for the South Panola game.  I think our whole team was calm, cool, and ready.   Something unusual happened at the coin toss.  We lost the toss for the first time all year!!!  Was this a bad omen?   We kicked off to start the game.  St. Joe took the ball methodically down the field and scored a touchdown.  This was only the second time all year that we had been behind.   South Panola scored against us on long touchdowns -- fluke plays in part.  South Panola had not been able to march down the field against us.  It looked like we would be in for a heck of a battle with St. Joe.  They missed the extra point.  Score -- 6 - 0, St. Joe's favor.  They kicked off to us.  We had the ball on the 30-yard line.  It was time for us to answer them and drive the length of the field for a score.   I was wrong about that.  First play was either our swing play to the left or option left -- I don't remember which.   Both plays would involve Tom Griffing going around left end.  Our coaches expected St. Joe to be bunched up inside to try to stop Doss on our bread and butter plays, Drive-4 and T-2.   They were right.  I slipped through the line headed downfield looking for a St. Joe player to block.  There didn't seem to be any. Tom and I were there alone with only an open field ahead.  I slightly bumped a St. Joe player who was racing to catch Tom and knocked him off stride; Tom ran 70 yards untouched for a touchdown.    Extra points were generally routine plays.  The kicker made it or missed it and that about sums it up.   St. Joe came at us like kamikazes and blocked the extra point try.   I had a great deal of respect for these Rebels from St. Joe.  I remember thinking that we could still be in for a real battle.  The game was then tied 6 - 6.

We kicked off to them and our coverage team did a good job.  The Rebels had the ball on the 20-yard line, or so.  Would they be able to drive the ball down the field again against our defense?  No!  They fumbled on the first play, and we recovered.   Coach Robertson had a habit of calling the same play over and over and over -- most of the time it would be Doss running up the middle on Drive-4 or T-2.  He called Tom's play around left end again.  Same result!  Touchdown!  We had run two offensive plays and scored two touchdowns.  St. Joe blocked the extra point again.   Colonels were ahead 12 - 6.  I'm not sure, but Tom may not have carried the ball again that game.

Although I came away with tremendous respect for that St. Joe team, we simply dominated the game after their initial score.  The game was never in doubt after our first offensive play.  Doss started carrying the ball on our bread and butter plays, and we drove the ball against them up the middle chewing up the clock and scoring touchdowns.  I also remember Jim McNealy throwing a couple perfect passes to Brooks. Brooks made those catches even though St. Joe players were hanging all over him.  

St. Joe fought hard all game, but they were no match for us.  They had not run the hill in Grenada at football camp; they had not lifted weights all summer with the intensity and focus that we had; and they weren't Colonels.  I salute them for a valiant effort.  We won the game 38 - 12.  We had scored more points against them than all their regular season opponents had combined.  I must give them credit; they did score two touchdowns against us.  South Panola was the only other team to score more than once against us.

There were after-game ceremonies.  The trophy for outstanding back was awarded to Doss.  The one for outstanding lineman went to Brooks.   We were on the field after the game for quite a while receiving congratulations.  It went on and on.  Any hope for a party after the game was evaporating with each passing minute.  We finally got to the locker room, dressed, and loaded the bus for a jubilant trip back to Rolling Fork.   A few of us decided to get together for a couple of beers when we got back.  It was a good thing that my mom had a grocery store that sold beer.  I grabbed a few six-packs and met some of the other guys.  It was our first beer since at least August!!  The Colonels’ Football Team had just played their last game -- EVER!  The era of the Colonel was over.  The era ended with a bowl victory over another undefeated team.  The 1969 Colonels finished with an 11 - 0 record- the PERFECT ENDING! 

Once a Colonel, always a Colonel.  Being a Colonel will live on in our hearts, in our minds, and in our memories.  

I AM A COLONEL!

by Kenneth Burns