FOOTBALL: GREAT HISTORY AT HUGO

This past summer, Colorado Preps debuted our newest project as the Colorado Preps Magazine focuses on high school sports across the Eastern Plains.  Additional issues are being planned for other regions of the state in future years.  As part of the September issue, our editors looked back at the tremendous football history at Hugo.  The Pirates have several championships including four straight from 1968-71.  We are looking back at past teams who have won four consecutive football crowns because Sedgwick County has a chance to match that number later this Fall.  Betsy Barnett of the Kiowa County Independent has the story.  Printed copies of the magazine are available at several locations and they can be seen by clicking here.

HUGO AND THE FOUR STATE FOOTBALL TITLES THAT STAND IN THE RECORD BOOKS
By Betsy Barnett

Throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s there became a social unrest in this country unlike no other as a generation of Americans began to question authority by protesting the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, Desegregation in our schools, and the role of women in our society.  It was a time when brutality was at its worst.  It was a time where great men like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Bobby Kennedy were gunned down in their prime and students became so angry at Kent State that on a spring day in May 1970 it exploded into death and violence.  It was a time when Americans watched our black and white television sets in fascination as Neil Armstrong took that giant leap for mankind upon the face of the moon.  And, ultimately, it was a time of great social unrest among the youth of the nation.
But, in a small town on the plains of Colorado, the 1960s and early 1970s also represented a pivotal time for the youth and the community as a whole.  These were the years that helped to define the town of Hugo and create memories that will not be forgotten.  It’s now been 50 years since the youth of Hugo, specifically the football team, started a march into the annuls of Colorado football history.  In 1968 Hugo won their first of four-in-a-row state 8-man football championships; and, in so doing, became one of two towns—Stratton being the other—-who have won that many championships in a row in the 8-man division.
These farm boys did not worry themselves about issues of the day such as social injustice or equal rights or segregation.  Their social responsibility was understood on the football field and their social order was measured on how fast you could run, how hard you could hit, or how skilled you could be.  These boys would never consider defying the authority of their legendary coach, Harry Kravig, and never doubted Kravig’s ability as a coach.

Rob Pearson, who was a sophomore in 1968 and the team’s starting running-back when Hugo won their first of four championships, described Coach Kravig as tough but fair. “Harry was never demeaning toward a player.  I don’t remember him yelling at anyone.  But he did demand that we executed correctly and aggressively.”
Pearson, who is described as extremely fast and is ranked 7^th in all-time yards per carry at 11.52, remembers Kravig on many occasions getting in on the blocking drills himself and being very aggressive with his players over-emphasizing the level of effort it takes to be a good blocker.  Pearson laughs, “He was a great football player in his day.  He was a big ole farm boy himself and ended up playing full back for the Colorado State University Rams.  We always tried to do our best at those blocking drills because we didn’t want to go up against Harry.  He was tough!”
Pearson goes on to describe a particularly memorable halftime speech that Coach Kravig was giving.  “When he was finished giving us a pep talk, he spit in his hand and took the cigar he was smoking out of his mouth and smashed the lit end into his hand to put it out.  Then says, ‘Now, let’s go boys!’  You can bet we got going and had a great second half!”
Fred Stang, who is a four-time state football champion being a freshman on the 1968 team, remembers Coach Kravig as all-business.  “Coach was someone we all had confidence in.  We knew he would dial up the right play and put the right people where they were needed.  I just don’t ever remember there being a time where there was controversy.  Coach just led, and we followed.”
In 2003, the student council at Hugo High School proposed to the community their idea to name the football field after Coach Harry Kravig.  The community, many who remembered those glorious 1960’s seasons, were enthusiastically on board with such a proposal.  The students’ proposal was printed in the Eastern Colorado Plainsmen on January 9, 2003.  The article described Harry Kravig’s amazing accomplishments.
Kravig had played high school football in Karval and then went on to play college football at Pueblo Junior College (now CSU-Pueblo), Colorado A & M (now Colorado State University in Fort Collins), and Navy.  He was offered a professional contract but turned it down.
Kravig taught and coached at Hugo from 1962-1973.  During the 11 years coaching football, the Pirates completely dominated the 8-man ranks winning six state championships (1964, 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971), and one state runner-up (1966).  Kravig and his Pirates had three undefeated seasons in 1964, 1965 and 1969.  In 1966 and 1970 they only lost one game, and between 1964 and 1966 they enjoyed a 34-game winning streak.  Kravig was named the Colorado 8-Man Football Coach of the Year many times and was inducted into the CHSAA Hall of Fame in 1985.
Evidently, a truly dominating football program requires a coach equal to the legendary Coach Harry Kravig.  But a coach can only do so much if he doesn’t have the support of his players, parents, and the community, as well.  There must be a tradition of excellence.  The recipe for success, for becoming the best of the best, requires a number of special ingredients that when mixed together becomes something unusual and special.
The Hugo recipe began with the Pirate team of 1930.  That team included many of the fathers and uncles of the players from the 1960s teams.  The 1930 team also included, as a player, the legendary Limon Coach Lloyd Gaskill who led the Badgers to six straight 11-man football championships in the 1960s, as well.  That 1930’s team set the tradition and the mindset of how football should be played in Lincoln County.  They must have been something to fear as they still hold many CHSAA football records to this day.  The 1930’s team is 2^nd all time in most touchdowns with 105; first all time in scoring with most points in a season at 748; and most points in a game vs Vona when the score was Hugo — 176 and Vona — 6.
According to Pearson, “The Bearded Beauties, that was the nickname they gave the 1930’s team, dominated the entire state of Colorado as there was only one classification at the time.  In the Vona game, I’m told, Vona scored on the first play when they used a trick play.  They stepped an eligible player into the field, but he was hidden on the sideline where the Hugo defenders didn’t see him.  That trick made the Pirate coach Otto Staub so mad that he then put it to Vona without ever letting up.  In those days, an eye for an eye was the norm.”
That tough grit and will to win transferred into the next generation even as young boys.  According to Stang, “I don’t remember a time when I didn’t play football.  That’s just what we did.  By the time we were in junior high we already knew what our role was, we were in our positions that we ended up playing in high school, and we knew all the plays.  The junior high coaches were the high school assistant coaches and they brought Kravig’s system down to us.  It’s just all we knew.”
Pearson remembered, “All we did was play football.  When I was really little I remember tagging along with my older brother Phil and Steve Antonopoulos who lived a couple doors down from us.  We’d all don our helmets and shoulder pads from JC Penney and find a vacant lot to play in.  It didn’t matter what the weather was like—we were playing.  I remember one time I got hit hard by Steve when we were playing in a snow storm.  But, even though I was a little guy, I didn’t want to be seen as a baby, so I kept playing.  One of the best places to play was on the courthouse grass, but we weren’t supposed to be on it and got chased off of it all the time by Gene Sprolh who was the maintenance man.  We’d be playing happily on the grass and then pretty soon someone would yell, ‘Sprolh!’, and we would all scatter.  He’d chase us down cussing away,” Pearson adds with a laugh.
The other thing that happens when a tradition for success is present in the community is that everyone played football.  On the championship teams there was always just around 30 boys on each team.  Antonopoulos verified, “We had 30 of the 33 boys that was in the school on our team.”  That is what it takes to be champions.  Everyone has to contribute.  When eligible players make excuses and don’t play it hurts the entire team in these small towns.
The final ingredient for a tradition of such amazing success comes from the community.  These were people who were tough, who came from farms, and who were used to hard work and perseverance.  And they certainly recognized and celebrated those attributes in their football players.
Stang remembers, “It was a wonderful experience growing up in Hugo.  The town really got behind our teams and it was thrilling for all of us.”
Antonopoulos concurs, “When we made some of our long trips to places like Merino, the entire town shut down and came too.  Although there were probably 700 or 800 people in Hugo there sometimes were as many as 1,500 at the games.  It was quite a time.”
Tradition is also maintained when there are great memories that are passed down to the next generation.  The players from the Pirates’ reign throughout the 1960s and into the 1970s all expressed their fond memories of teammates and the fun they had while playing the game of football.
Antonopoulos remembers the 1965 state championship game against Monument (now Lewis Palmer), “In the 1965 championship we were behind late in the game when coach (Kravig) called a center-eligible pass play.  We’d practiced it, but we’d never ran it in a game.  I was on the line with Dick (Reines), our center, and blocked for him as he broke free.  Our quarterback, John Emmerling, one of my best friends, laid the ball perfectly into Dick’s hands for the go-ahead touchdown!  I’ll never forget that.”
Stang remembers many big plays, as well.  “In the ’68 championship game we were down to Merino, 34-33, after they had scored.  The time was running out.  On the kick off, Rob (Pearson) received the ball at the 15-yard line and ran it back 85 yards for a touchdown and the lead.  I just remember everyone setting massive blocks like their life depended on it.”
Pearson also remembered a lot of the best plays Hugo had, but his favorite was probably in the 1969 championship game when they easily defeated Merino…again.  “Merino had scored and were thinking they were going to come back on us.  Coach had probably sent in a play, but Nash, our quarterback, decided to show Merino a little razzle-dazzle.  We called it 31 Reverse.  I recall Nash passed to Mike Boetger who lateraled to me and I had clear sailing to the end zone.”
Now in their late 60s or early 70s the Pirates of 50 years ago still look upon those glory days with thankfulness in their hearts.  They all wholeheartedly agree that growing up in a small, close knit town on the plains of Colorado shaped their successful adult lives.
Steve Antonopoulos, who has been the Denver Broncos trainer for more than 30 years and is the standard bearer of the Broncos organization said, “The values I learned as a kid growing up in Hugo are utilized today with the Broncos.  You learn to care for others and you learn that everyone matters.  Through football we learned discipline, honesty, integrity, and to honor our country.  We learned what a quality life looks like.”
Today, just as it was in the turbulence of the 1960s in the era when these boys became young men, our country finds itself losing its way once again.  In these times, all one needs to do is look at the strong traditions of small-town football and there you will find the answers to all the country’s problems.
 

1968
First Round:  Beat Kit Carson 66-13
Semifinals:  Beat Sangre De Cristo 48-12
Championship:  Beat Merino 40-34
 
 
 

1969
First Round:  Beat Wiley 53-6
Semifinals:  Beat La Veta 56-20
Championship:  Beat Merino 49-30
 
 
 

1970
First Round:  Unknown results
Semifinals:  Beat La Veta 40-0
Championship:  Beat Iliff 20-14
 
 
 

1971
First Round:  Beat Kit Carson 32-0
Semifinals:  Beat Colorado D&B 50-0
Championship:  Beat Merino 8-6