Chickens before they are hatched.....

[ndsubison1]

My dad played for New England in the early 70s, but the public school, they despised the private school

[Bison Bridge Guy]

Yes, I remember them. Curious...how many players on that team were actually from New England? I know Baker grew up north of Killdeer on the Rez.

Here are a couple articles about that team - not sure if you'll hit a pay wall on the Dickinson Press article but it mentions a lot of the players' by name and most of them I recognize as long time and current "New England" names. (Schmit, Gardner, Dobitz, Heick, Oderman, etc.) I know there was definitely some recruiting going on in the 60s and 70s but it's not as rampant as people like to think.

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/sp...-teams-reunite

https://ndhsaa.com/news/1692/50-year...-b-state-title

It was a boarding school right up until the last class graduated in 1992. Over the years, I had classmates from Japan, several African countries, Mexico, Fort Berthold reservation, and a few "troubled" kids from around the country. Interesting way to go to school - learning swear words in other languages!

[mtoutfitter]

Here are a couple articles about that team - not sure if you'll hit a pay wall on the Dickinson Press article but it mentions a lot of the players' by name and most of them I recognize as long time and current "New England" names. (Schmit, Gardner, Dobitz, Heick, Oderman, etc.) I know there was definitely some recruiting going on in the 60s and 70s but it's not as rampant as people like to think.

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/sp...-teams-reunite

https://ndhsaa.com/news/1692/50-year...-b-state-title

It was a boarding school right up until the last class graduated in 1992. Over the years, I had classmates from Japan, several African countries, Mexico, Fort Berthold reservation, and a few "troubled" kids from around the country. Interesting way to go to school - learning swear words in other languages!

Great article. Thanks for posting!

[tony]

My dad loved to tell a story about playing New England St. Mary's when Ron Erhardt* was their coach. It wasn't much of a story either - it was just that he was playing LB at maybe 140lbs depending on how much mud he had in his cleats and could barely see (broken glasses / no money). Anyway, they were getting killed on an outside run so the coach screamed at him to shoot outside as soon as the ball was snapped. When he did, they ran it inside for a TD. Every time he told this story, he would laugh for a solid minute.

* Future NDSU coach, future NFL coach, Mandan native.

[AlumniGreen]

Is it just me but I am still trying to wrap my head around SouthCliffBison's refereeing saga, on the way home on the highway when a revolver was used. I doubt anyone of us can beat that story. Glad everyone was okay.

I have no tales from my high school basketball days at Fargo South High to even come close. Once we played Fort Yates in about 1969 or 1970. It was a home game and what struck me was how beautifully mannered the Fort Yates guys were. They came to the game in nice, navy blue blazers and seemed (to me) in awe of the domed gymnasium we had (they need not have been, the gym was made with a dome just to match North's). I believe we won the game.

There are times I wished I had grown up in a small town. A much tighter community. I asked a friend from Mott once, why does it seem there are so many successful people from small towns? He said, because the towns are so small, everyone has to pitch in. All guys or gals have to be at least try out for teams and that builds a sense of community.

[The Great Randini]

No, another poster said Steve Waagen. That's who I was thinking of but couldn't remember the name. Dick Ryan....yes! I knew an old NE Tiger like you would have the answer! Didn't know he was recruited by Wooden. Did he play college ball anywhere?

He played at Dickinson State

[The Great Randini]

b

Dick Ryan was a senior in 1970 and helped lead NE St. Marys to the Class B state title by defeating Belcourt 54 to 53. Gerard Baker also played on that NE team. Later on in life, Baker had a career with the national park service serving as superintendent of the Little Big Horn Battlefield and Mount Rushmore.

Gerard Baker is a really good guy ,the St Marys gym was usually open and there was usually a bunch of kids playing ,Gerard always made sure that everyone played regardless of age or ability

[The Great Randini]

Here are a couple articles about that team - not sure if you'll hit a pay wall on the Dickinson Press article but it mentions a lot of the players' by name and most of them I recognize as long time and current "New England" names. (Schmit, Gardner, Dobitz, Heick, Oderman, etc.) I know there was definitely some recruiting going on in the 60s and 70s but it's not as rampant as people like to think.

https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/sp...-teams-reunite

https://ndhsaa.com/news/1692/50-year...-b-state-title

It was a boarding school right up until the last class graduated in 1992. Over the years, I had classmates from Japan, several African countries, Mexico, Fort Berthold reservation, and a few "troubled" kids from around the country. Interesting way to go to school - learning swear words in other languages!

Most of that team were boys from NE , Schmitz and Baker were not .it was later that the recruiting took place because the success was intoxicating , more importantly Father Lemeres hired the best coaches he could get

[The Great Randini]

My dad loved to tell a story about playing New England St. Mary's when Ron Erhardt* was their coach. It wasn't much of a story either - it was just that he was playing LB at maybe 140lbs depending on how much mud he had in his cleats and could barely see (broken glasses / no money). Anyway, they were getting killed on an outside run so the coach screamed at him to shoot outside as soon as the ball was snapped. When he did, they ran it inside for a TD. Every time he told this story, he would laugh for a solid minute.

* Future NDSU coach, future NFL coach, Mandan native.

Your Dad was probably playing against Joe Roller who went on to play for the Bison

[GreenfieldBison]

During the 60's and 70's in class B towns, high school basketball was the Enchilada Royale. Fan bases lived and died with the team's success or failure; trashed locker rooms, police escorts for the visiting team's bus out of to town, referees making mad dashes for their cars after games.......those were the days. Long time ago, I reffed at Page, ND versus Hope, ND....rivalry game. Don't remember who won, but after we changed clothes, the superintendent and principal came into our changing room and proceeded to escort my partner and I from the changing room to the school doors. From there, we were on our own. After reffing on a rez high school, we were on a highway heading home. A car pulled up behind us, following very closely, then it pulled up beside my partner's car and began beeping its horn. My partner reached under the seat, pulled out a revolver, rolled down the window and fired 2 rounds across the hood of the other vehicle. The car stopped following us.

Don't think I would try that these days. Other guy might have one of those large magazine machine pistols.