For five consecutive years, from 1954 to
1958, the Wetaskiwin High School Sabres Football teams
were Central Alberta High School Football League
champions. For each of those five years the Sabres
teams were undefeated in league, play-off and exhibition
games and amassed a record of 46 wins, 3 ties and 0
losses. In 1959, the Sabres went three more games before
losing, pushing the record to 49 wins. For a number of
years those statistics were also a North American
football record. The 1956 team was considered the
powerhouse of the five teams. In the six league games,
the first play-off game and an exhibition game, the 1956
team was so dominant that no points were scored against
them. Some players from the 1956 team went on to play
Junior Football in Edmonton or Calgary; others played
for the U of A Golden Bears; a few played on US college
teams; one player played for the Edmonton Eskimos and
another player coached in the NFL.
For five years the
Sabres teams were undefeated
in league, play-off and exhibition games
Norm Brown was the
coach of these successful Sabre Football Teams. It is
no accident that the winning record was achieved after
he became the head coach in 1953. His wisdom and
coaching methods
were “ahead of the times”. In 1954
Coach Brown introduced the split T football formation
and in 1955 he added the double fullback, double
halfback system, systems that were used at that time by
the “Pop Ivy” coached Edmonton Eskimos. The assistant
coach in 1956 was Pete Durnovo, a former Calgary
Stampeder lineman. He coached the line on both offence
and defense and brought added knowledge and expertise to
the team. Coaches Brown and Durnovo were invited to
appear on the TV program “Inside Football” to discuss
the 1956 team and Wetaskiwin’s successful football
program.
(click for larger picture with names)
Coach Brown’s philosophy was that
team work was the road to success. He believed
that football is a twelve man game and players are
dependant on each other. There were stars on the
1956 team but they did not act as such. The team
had a great balance with a mix of talented veterans and
first year players, all playing a big part in the
winning effort. Many players on the team played
both offence and defense.
The players enjoyed each other and even enjoyed
practices. Comradeship was exceptional.
Scored a total of
404 points and had 34 points
scored against them, an unbelievable record
The 1956 Sabres played
in the northern conference of the Central Alberta High
School League. Other teams in the conference included
Camrose High School, Camrose Lutheran College and
Sedgewick. Besides annihilating those teams in league
play, the Sabres played an exhibition game against St.
John’s College from Edmonton and defeated them 20-0.
League semi-finals were against Camrose High and the
score was 27-0. In the League finals the opponents were
the Lacombe Rams, winners of the southern conference of
the Central Alberta High School League. In a closely
fought, see-saw battle, two game total point series the
Sabres were victorious defeating the Rams 45-34 winning,
for the third straight year, the Buffalo Hotel Cup
emblematic of the Central Alberta High School League
Championship. In those days, there were no Provincial
High School Play-offs. In total the 1956 team in six
regular season games, one semi-final game, two final
games and one exhibition game scored total of 404 points
and had 34 points scored against them, an unbelievable
record.
Community Spirit
forms a Cavalcade
of Cars to Follow the Sabres
In the 1950’s high
school football was a favorite spectator sport in
Wetaskiwin. The high school fans supported their team
as did the community. Coverage in the local papers kept
everyone informed of the teams successes. For away
games, a cavalcade of cars travelled to Camrose,
Sedgewick and Lacombe. Everyone was proud of the
accomplishments of the Sabres and the team members were
local heroes. The team is most deserving of being
inducted into the Wetaskiwin and County Sports Hall of
Fame.
Members of the 1956 Wetaskiwin High
School Sabres Football Team were:
Morley Aboussafy |
Merlin Johnson |
Bob Merner |
Lawrence Bunnin |
Jim Johnstone |
Bud Moan |
Art Buskas |
Don Kaiser |
Bill Pocock |
Don Duncalfe |
Dave Kosiur |
Alvin Sandahl |
Jim Field |
Erd Krenz |
Dennis Schneck |
Dale Fonteyne |
Larry Lee |
Rolf Soderman |
Jerry Greene |
Wayne Lyken |
Don Steele |
Bill Gust |
Ross MacEachern |
Gordon Wallis |
Hank Janzen |
Darrell Maki |
Fred Weir |
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Norm Brown, Head Coach |
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Pete Durnovo, Assistant Coach
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Information
about an inductee is collected from published sources,
sports archives, scrapbooks,
anecdotal information from family, friends and fans, and the
athlete.
However,
sometimes the best stories and personal insights are gleaned
at the
induction dinner from the
introductory comments or acceptance speech of the inductee
or their representative.
Where
possible we have included this
type of information for your enjoyment.
Read the
opening comments made by Sandra Wright when speaking about
this Sabres Team.
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