WORTHINGTON -- Exactly 50 years ago tomorrow night -- Friday evening, October 10, 1958 -- several area high schools hosted homecoming football games, including the Worthington Trojans.
That week, President Dwight Eisenhower celebrated his 68th birthday, the New York Yankees edged the Milwaukee Braves, four games to three, in a well-played World Series, and local farmers Alvin Larson (Reading) and Gene Bicknese (Worthington) were preparing to travel to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, for the National Mechanical Corn Picking Contest after winning state championships in single-row and double-row competition, respectively.
Bill "Moose" Skowron's three-run homer in the eighth inning helped the Yankees, who came back from a 3-1 game deficit, win Game 7, 6-2.
Playing first base in that series for the Braves was Joe Torre, while Del Crandall did the catching and the duo of Warren Spahn and Lew Burdette were Milwaukee's aces on the mound. The Braves, in their fifth year in Wisconsin, had defeated the Yankees in the '57 World Series.
"It's All In The Game," by Tommy Edwards, was topping the music charts, and both Bobby Darin's "Splish Splash" and "Rockin' Robin," by Bobby Day, were also getting lots of air time.
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Wagley's interception sparks Trojan victory
Playing on a clear, crisp autumn evening, Worthington hosted Windom in its annual homecoming game and came away with a 14-7 victory after Gary Wagley's exciting 66-yard run on a pass interception.
The score was tied at 7-7 and there were just 20 seconds left on the clock when Wagley made his pick. Knocked out of bounds inside the Eagle 1-yard line, Worthington's Gerry Osterberg plunged in for the go-ahead TD with 10 seconds left.
Osterberg had scored the game's first touchdown on a 30-yard burst, capping Worthington's second series in the first quarter. Trojan captain Joel Beck kicked the PAT, giving Worthington a 7-0 lead.
In a defensive struggle, Windom tied the game late in the third quarter when Eagle quarterback Delano Jones dashed 55 yards on a keeper. Jones also "smashed" over for the conversion and the contest was tied as the final period started. (All point-after-plays in those days were just worth one point.)
Neither squad could sustain a drive in that last quarter, and with time running out, the Eagles took to the air. But on the second play of Windom's final series, Wagley made the "play of the game" and the Trojans celebrated homecoming and their fifth consecutive victory over the Eagles.
A picture in the Monday afternoon paper showed the Trojan players carrying head coach Milt Ostberberg off the field, following their last-minute 14-7 win over Windom.
Undefeated Panthers roll past Edgerton, 39-6
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Edgerton's Larry Zwart returned the opening kickoff 70 yards for a touchdown, giving the Flying Dutchmen a cheerful beginning on their homecoming.
But the undefeated Ellsworth Panthers answered with four first-quarter touchdowns and improved their record to 6-0 with a 39-6 victory.
Jerry Mathiesen scored two touchdowns for Ellsworth, while Le Roy Visker (31 yards) and Duke Lenderts (4) also ran for TDs, and Junior Boelman caught a 10-yard pass for six points.
Ellsworth's final touchdown was scored by Daryl Heikes, who recovered an Edgerton fumble in the end zone.
Ken Freking leads late Falcon rally
Trailing East Chain 13-0 after three quarters, Heron Lake rallied to win its homecoming game by scoring three touchdowns in the game's last six minutes.
Junior back Kenny Freking, who would make the all-state eight-man team as a senior in 1959, ran 35 yards on a reverse to put the Falcons on the board.
After getting a defensive stop, Freking scored again, capping a well-executed drive with a blast through the line.
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On a halfback option, Carroll Freking passed to Jerry Sullivan for the conversion, knotting the score at 13-13.
Then, with 30 seconds left, Freking blocked a Chainer punt and the Falcons recovered inside the 5-yard line.
Facing a third-and-goal from the 2-yard line with five seconds to play, Heron Lake senior quarterback Don Freking followed the charge of senior center Jim Stenzel into the end zone for a thrilling, come-from-behind, 19-13 victory.
The win improved Heron Lake to 6-0 for the season, as the Falcons went undefeated in both '58 and '59, racking up 18 straight wins.
Dale Aden's two TD passes help Okabena win
While Heron Lake was rallying to win its homecoming game, southern neighbor Okabena was scoring in a variety of ways -- and in each quarter -- in an impressive 41-6 homecoming victory over Brewster.
Steve Rohwer scored twice on runs of five and six yards, respectively, while Dale Aden looped a 20-yard TD strike to Philip Folker and later connected with Dale Peters for a 10-yard touchdown pass.
Peters had earlier returned a Bulldog punt 40 yards for a Bluehawk touchdown, and Jerry Schroeder capped an OHS drive with a 1-yard TD.
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Bob Powers scored from six yards for Brewster in the fourth quarter.
Dick Dyke scores twice for Sioux Valley in shutout win
In the second quarter, Larry Fisher scored on a 45-yard run, and Dick Dyke ran for two touchdowns (15 and 20 yards) in the fourth quarter, as the Sioux Valley Warriors blanked western rival Round Lake, 19-0, in their homecoming game.
Carey's TD first points scored on Sanborn
Westbrook's Wayne Carey capped a nice Wildcat drive in the third quarter, as undefeated Sanborn was scored upon for the first time all season.
But the Panthers rallied in the fourth quarter and claimed a 16-6 homecoming victory.
Ed Frerk leads Slayton to victory over Marshall
Slayton defeated Marshall, 25-7, as Ed Frerk scored two touchdowns and set up two more with long runs.
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Frerk blocked a Tiger punt and raced 20 yards for Slayton's first score. His second TD came from two yards out, after he had returned a punt 39 yards.
Later, a 40-yard pass play from Ken Schwartz to Frerk set up a touchdown burst by Elvin Wehking, and Curt Peters scored Slayton's fourth touchdown.
'75 Slayton CC, '90 H-BC football upcoming
That was a brief look at some of the highlight area football games from this week, 50 years ago.
Upcoming topics will include the success of the 1975 Slayton boys' cross country team and the tale of the state championship football team that came out of Hills-Beaver Creek in 1990.
