A History of Nebraska 8-Man Football - 1959 All-State/Final Rankings

*163 Teams played 8-Man football in 1959*

For the 6th straight season (since its creation) Nebraska 8-Man football saw more schools playing the game. Twenty-one more schools hopped on board, going from 6-Man to 8-Man while the teams playing 11-Man football in Nebraska remained the same at 185.

Schools competing in 8-Man football saw a rise from 142 to 163, while 6-Man schools lost ground, dropping from 56 to 41 schools fielding the wide open 6-Man game.

Once again, the final 8-Man ratings (World-Herald) followed the TWO class format. 8-Man schools were divided into Class A (schools with 35 or more boys) and Class B (obviously schools with less than 35 boys).

*1959 Eight-Man Football Final OVERALL Top 10*

1. Fremont St. Patricks, (8-0-1)

35 Ceresco…………....6 - 51 Valparaiso………….......19

6 Cedar Bluffs……....6 - 33 Mead………………….......6

45 Prague………….....14 - 51 Elkhorn………………......8

40 Wahoo Catholic…13 - 51 Dwight Assumption…21

45 Millard……………..14

Coach-Lew Wewel

2. Cedar Bluffs (8-0-1)

35 Millard………………......0 - 40 Wahoo Catholic…0

6 Fremont St. Pats……....6 - 27 Ceresco………….....12

48 Valparaiso……………....7 - 42 Elkhorn…………....12

36 Dwight Assumption…12 - 40 Prague…………......7

32 Mead…………………......13

Coach-Charles Sukovaty

3. Lawrence (8-0)

19 Davenport……..6 - 78 Bruning…0

44 Fairmont……….0 - 67 Chester…0

52 Falls City S.H…6 - 45 Edger…...0

65 Bradshaw……...0 - 73 Friend…..6

Coach-Don Janda

4. Fairfield (8-0)

77 Holstein…..20 - 19 Doniphan….0

61 Junieta…….12 - 102 Roseland…0

20 Davenport…7 - 87 Giltner……...6

41 Campbell….19 - 62 Kenesaw…..12

Coach-Howard Zook

5. York St. Joseph (8-0)

29 Shelby……………....0 - 72 McCool Junction…0

43 Bradshaw…………..0 - 33 Rising City………....6

46 Beaver Crossing….0 - 1 xUnknown…………...0

45 Gresham…………....0 - 31 Utica………………....0

x(forfeit)

Coach-John Siegel

6. Hershey (9-0)

13 Sutherland…6 - 32 Mullen…………………......7

26 Wallace……..7 - 28 North Platte St. Pats…21

31 Stapleton…...6 - 52 Elsie……….…………........6

29 Brady………..19 - 54 Maxwell……………….....6

45 Tryon………...0

Coach-Al Wiegand

7. Dakota City (9-0)

14 Winnebago………...7 - 72 Emerson…32

40 Springfield, S.D…13 - 26 Beemer….20

41 Rosalie………….....25 - 47 Homer……14

35 Walthill……………...7 - 33 Decatur……7

Coach-Garlie Sailors

8. Amherst (8-0)

47 Hildreth…14 - 52 Pleasanton…26

40 Axtell…….27 - 34 Wilcox……….13

34 Loomis…..14 - 34 Sumner……...22

38 Overton….19 - 46 Elm Creek…..18

Coach-Cecil Stutzman

9. Venango (8-0)

21 Maywood…6 - 21 Lewellen…..6

46 Paxton…….0 - 25 Arthur……..24

46 Brule……….6 - 40 Elsie………..12

25 Madrid……13- 53 Lodgepole....0

Coach-Glen Houtz

10. Farnam (9-0)

20 Bartley……6 - 7 Maywood……......6

41 Maxwell…20 - 19 Indianola……….7

31 Elsie……...13 - 38 Red Willow…...21

12 Holbrook…0 - 40 Beaver Valley…6

33 Wallace….13

Coach-Herman H. Hinkle

*1959 Eight-Man Football CLASS “A” Final Top 10*

1 Fremont St. Patrick (8-0-1)

2. Cedar Bluffs (8-0-1)

3. Lawrence (8-0)

4. Hershey (9-0)

5. Dakota City (9-0)

6. Amherst (8-0)

7. Doniphan (7-1)

8. Dorchester (9-0)

9. Eagle (8-0)

10T Axtell

10T Mullen

*1959 Eight-Man Football CLASS “B” Final Top 10*

1 Fairfield (8-0)

2. York St. Joseph (8-0)

3. Venango (8-0)

4. Farnam (9-0)

5. Mason City (8-0)

6. Brady

7. Indianola

8. Maywood

9. Greeley Sacred Heart (7-0-1)

10. Shelby

Here are your 8-Man All-State Teams for 1959, as chosen by the one and only Gregg McBride.

*1959 8-Man OVERALL All-State Football Team*

End---Cliff Rice-Fremont St. Patrick, 6-2, 180, Junior, (17 years old)

End----John Beyke-Lawrence, 6-0, 170, Senior (17 yo)

Guard-Richard Heinzman-Winnebago, 5-9, 165, Senior, (17 yo)

Guard-Ken Adkisson-Farnum, 5-11, 190, Senior, (17 yo)

Center-Gene Johnson-Hershey, 5-9, 200, Senior, (17 yo)

Back---Joe Heckenlively-Fairfield, 6-1, 160, Junior, (17 yo)

Back---Dick Wray-Cedar Bluffs, 5-10, 160, Senior, (18 yo)

Back---LaVane Johnson-Eagle, 5-10, 204, Senior, (16 yo) {1,848 rushing, 303 passing, 218 points on 33 TDs/20 conversions, averaged 13 tackles/game, 35 yds punting/game} [9 games]

*1959 8-Man CLASS “A” All-State Football Team*

End---Cliff Rice-Fremont St. Patrick

End---John Beyke-Lawrence

Guard-Richard Heinzman-Winnebago

Guard-Vernon Schnieder-Axtell

Center-Gene Johnson-Hershey

Back---Pat Worthing-Axtell

Back---Dick Wray-Cedar Bluffs

Back---LaVane Johnson-Eagle

*1959 8-Man CLASS “B” All-State Football Team*

End---Robert Haley-York St. Joseph

End---Dave Deden-Venango

Guard-Gary Workmeister-Maywood

Guard-Ken Adkisson-Farnum

Center-Richard Hotze-Indianola

Back---Joe Heckenlively-Fairfield

Back---Miles Outoupal-York St. Joseph

Back---Larry Laird-Dakota City

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AND…a few closing notes about the 1959 Eight-Man football season.

*One uncovered treasure from this season was the discovery of LaVane Johnson of Eagle. Overlooked by even yours truly, his family mailed our Nebraska Eight-Man Football Coaches Association Hall of Fame Committee President, the great Coach Bob McEvoy (Clarkson-Leigh) concerning his feats at Eagle high school, especially in 1959.

LaVane was a man among boys that season, 5-10, 204 running back, highly unusual for that day. Most linemen were not 200 pounds in the late 1950s.

Johnson rambled for a massive 1,848 yards rushing, racked another 303 yards passing, scored 218 points on 33 touchdowns and 20 one-point PAT conversions, averaged 13 tackles a game and averaged 35 yards a punt.

He received a full ride scholarship to play football at Nebraska (rare for an 8-Man player in that day) and was a no brainer inductee into our NEMFCA Hall of Fame in my HOF class, the Class of 2018.

* I ran across a very somber, stirring article during the season. The World-Herald (as do they and every week during the football season) saluted Athletes of the Week (football players) each Wednesday.

The second week of the 1959 season on a Thursday night, a lad from Venango by the name of Harry Harms rushed for 155 yards and scored three touchdowns during a 46-0 rout of Paxton. His head coach, Glen Houtz nominated him for one of the World-Herald Athletes of the Week awards following the game.

Less than 48 hours later, on that Saturday night, young 18 year old Harry Harms lost his life in a one car accident. Fittingly, Gregg McBride honored the late Harry Harms of Venango as his Athlete of the Week posthumously the following Wednesday, the very day of Harry’s funeral services.