FOOTBALL

Moorhead State Athletic Director Larry MacLeod certainly had a plan in mind when Dwaine Hoberg announced his retirement as head football coach in November of 1969, and it didn’t take MacLeod long to strike. He long had his eye on North Dakota State assistant coach Ross Fortier and was fully convinced Fortier was the ideal man for the job.

“Ross was always a very impressive individual to me, and I liked him, too,” MacLeod explained. “He was organized, he knew what he wanted to do, and he knew he could turn us around. He had unlimited confidence in himself.”

Surely Fortier’s pedigree was attractive to MacLeod. Son of Bun Fortier, the revered basketball coach at Bemidji High School, Fortier was an outstanding prep athlete for the Lumberjacks and later lettered in four sports at NDSU. A starting quarterback for the Bison, Fortier spent time coaching at Moorhead State in the mid-60s after a stop at Melrose High School and made a lasting impression on MacLeod.

Convincing Fortier to leave his alma mater and the powerful football program in full flower at North Dakota State was another matter. MacLeod, however, would not be denied, and Fortier joined the Dragons January 19, 1970. Having spent a couple of seasons as an assistant to Hoberg, Fortier was well aware of the scholarship limitations. He insisted on some additional scholarship support before he would accept the MSC job, and the administration reluctantly agreed. It was a prudent decision that marked the beginning of a glorious era.

Head Coach Fortier addresses players.

Fortier’s September debut against backyard rival Concordia College surely deserves a special place in the history of Dragon football. The patchwork club he inherited faced a monumental challenge against the powerful Cobbers, a runnerup to Texas A & I in the 1969 NAIA National Championship finals. Somehow, the talent-challenged Dragons carried a 20-7 lead into the fourth quarter and were clearly on the doorstep of a major upset, but the Cobbers rallied for a pair of late touchdown passes to rescue a 20-20 tie. Still, there would be other highwater marks, including a 24-22 mid-season upset of nationally-ranked Nebraska-Kearney, but a late season slump lowered the bar to 4-4-1.

By 1971 Fortier clearly had his own program in place, and the Dragons closed with a rush, winning seven straight games for a 7-1-1 record. Sophomore running back George Spanish (Hibbing) sloshed 88 yards with a punt return in a downpour for the only score in a 6-0 shutout of unbeaten national power Michigan Tech to lift the Dragons to the NIC title, the first of nine league championships under Fortier’s watch. The Dragons followed with 7-3-0 printouts in both 1972 and 1973, adding another league crown in 1973.

Fortier warned the Dragon nation early on that Michigan Tech would present a thorough challenge.

“Michigan Tech is probably the finest college team ever to play at Alex Nemzek Stadium,” Fortier cautioned. “To beat them, we’ll have to put together four quarters of excellent, errorless football.”

And the punt return that lifted Moorhead State to national prominence? “We hadn’t really planned on a punt return,” Fortier confessed. “We were rushing the punter, so George was on his own.”

By 1974, however, Moorhead State began a downturn that included rare losing seasons in 1974 (4-5-0) and 1975 (2-7-0). Still, there were some dandy Dragons at work, including runningback Russ Henegar (Bismarck, ND), who joined future Chicago Bear legend Walter Payton as a first team NAIA All-American runningback in 1974, and middle linebacker Dick Sagehorn (Bertha), who had the rare distinction of winning Most Valuable Player honors in the NIC despite a losing season.

Fortier and the Dragons quickly became weary of losing, and the malaise didn’t last long. All that was needed was a spark, and the arrival in 1976 of a red-haired quarterback from Norfolk, VA changed the dynamics. Ed Schultz, a transfer from Memphis State and the University of Richmond, was sent packing to MSU by Don Pate, a onetime Dragon and later an assistant coach at Richmond. The brash Schultz quickly became a media darling, and a 14-7 victory over Concordia College on opening day cemented him a spot in Dragon lore. In 1977 Schultz led the nation (NCAA II) in passing, while tight end Jeff Tesch (Robbinsdale) topped the nation in receiving, and both would sign professional football contracts.

A smallish but strong-willed offensive line that included home grown Rocky Gullickson buttressed an explosive Dragon offense. A three-year starter and a first team ASSOCIATED PRESS All-American as a senior in 1976, Gullickson later forged a successful career as a strength and conditioning coach with the University of Texas, University of Louisville and the New Orleans Saints of the NFL.

“I thought I was treated very fairly at Moorhead State,” said Gullickson. “I came out of Moorhead High School without a lot of expectations, but I was given a real chance at MSU. Coach Fortier always said if you work hard you’ll play as a senior, and gosh, I thought that was a real fair deal. It just happened a little sooner for me.”

By 1979 the sparkle was back, and the Dragons posted an 8-3-0 record and made a serious championship run in the NIC. All-American noseguard John Lind (Haddonfield, NJ) was saluted as the NAIA National Player of the Week for his splendid performance in a 13-10 triumph over Concordia College. It also set the stage for an approaching decade of football excellence unmatched in Dragon history.

BASKETBALL

Scribes and fans often said the cast that staged the memorable 24-2 run in 1970-71 seemed to come from nowhere; but in truth, they came from everywhere.

After patiently building a program that began to make some serious ripples around the NIC, the Dragons of 1970-71 appeared capable of greater things. Still, nobody envisioned the wondrous season that would soon unfold in front of fully amped houses in Alex Nemzek Hall. The cast of characters included 6-3 Charlie Williams from Augusta, GA, a marvelous frontline defender and dangerous offensive weapon who charmed the hearts of Dragon fans after arriving from Willmar Junior College. Williams led the Dragons in scoring with 19.6 ppg. Jerry Barney, a 6-5 senior transfer from St. John’s University, was a constant source of inside muscle and might, and the Bahamas native made it clear early on he was not to be challenged inside. He would average an impressive 12.2 boards a game.

Steve Colby, a silky smooth junior guard from Alexandria, provided an extra dash of quickness and outside scoring. Danny Retherford, a supremely confident import from Franklin, OH and an Air Force veteran, attracted Skaar’s attention for his spirited play against the Dragon junior varsity while stationed at the Grand Forks Air Force Base. They were significant contributors all, but make no mistake, it was senior Mike Berg who was the club’s mainspring.

A fierce competitor fully capable of breaking down any defense, Berg was a feared right hand shooter who could also whistle a breathtaking left-handed football pass the length of the court for an easy score, and the two–time NIC MVP was always at his best when the game reached full boil.

It started innocently, with four quick victories, including a 78-64 triumph over North Dakota, and MSC would need all its talent and moxie to survive a 69-66 near ambush at Mayville State in game five. The faith fully restored, the Dragons stretched their win streak to 15 straight, including a 99-82 roadkill of NCC champion North Dakota State, and a 76-68 victory over Central Michigan University, a Division I member of the Mid-American Conference.

Winona State severed the remarkable streak with a 70-68 mid-season win at Winona, but MSC responded with another string of nine straight victories to close the regular season 24-1, including a 11-1 championship mark in the NIC, victories over six conference champions, and a fourth-place ranking on the final NAIA Division I national poll.

But just as quickly as the magic appeared, it suddenly vanished in a painful 85-84 NAIA District 13 playoff loss at home to Augsburg College. The Auggies were a substantial underdog saddled with some serious injury problems but head coach Butch Raymond, an Augsburg graduate who witnessed another major upset in the Dragon den in 1963, knew all about the potential for shocking finishes at Alex Nemzek Hall. The crushing loss stunned a legion of Dragon fans; and for years, many of the players refused to even revisit the marvelous run of 1970-71.

“We had great camaraderie among all the players, and we didn’t think that one player was anymore important than the other players,” Williams remembered. “We really played as a team; we won and lost together.”

“It was disappointing losing in the first round of the playoffs, especially when their (Augsburg) best player gets hurt early in the game and his replacement has a career game. We had a unique group of teammates from various parts of the country recruited by coach Skaar,” Berg recalled. “Coach Skaar was a great coach, and got the most out of his players. He was a fun coach to play for.”

The showdown remained vivid in the memory of manager Tom Tolman for many years. “That season was both the greatest and worst experience ever. It’s impossible to describe the utter devastation of the (Augsburg) loss. We were heading to Kansas City and the NAIA National Tournament, but Augsburg played unconsciously. Our once-in-a-lifetime season was shattered.”

While Dragon dreams of a national championship may have gone to die, there would be more basketball to play and more memories to create. Skaar bolted for the temptation of the head job at NDSU after a 19-7 record in 1971-72, and was replaced by Dennis Anderson, a starting guard at State in the 1950s.

While Skaar relished the opportunity to work in an environment of 12 full scholarships, the separation caused some angst.

“I hope my new coaching job will create a friendly rivalry between the two schools,” Skaar said. “I am very much looking forward to the first time we play the Dragons, but I don’t know how I will feel if we beat them.”

The were some shining moments under the tenure of Anderson, especially a 64-61 road win over NCAA Division I Pepperdine University in December of 1973 at Malibu Beach, CA, and the relentless persistence of undersized center Jim Bowen (York, SC), but Anderson resigned in 1975 after a three-year stay that included 13-11, 12-14 and 10-16 finishes.

The search for a replacement ultimately took the Dragons to NDSU and the doorstep of coach Skaar, where former Purdue All-American Dave Schellhase toiled as the Herd’s top assistant. Despite some reservations, the lure of a head coaching job was too much for Schellhase to ignore, and he signed on in 1975 as the Dragons’ new boss. Schellhase’s first edition rekindled championship hopes, despite a pedestrian 12-14 record, but it was the start of something special, and he followed with 19-9, 20-9, 18-10, 21-9, 23-6 and 24-7 records during his first trip around the MSU basketball block.

Schellhase was an interesting study for Dragon faithful. His collegiate and professional pedigree was unique—he once torched the University of Michigan for 56 points in Ann Arbor, MI—but he spent little time going down memory lane. Instead, he preferred to consume himself with the task at hand, building a basketball empire of sorts at Moorhead State.

A national scoring champion at Purdue University and a first round draft pick of the NBA’s Chicago Bulls, Schellhase had established some solid recruiting ties, and the arrival of Jim Kapitan (Hammond, IN), Matt Brundige (East Chicago, IN), Walt Whitaker (Hammond, IN) and Kevin Mulder (Renville) formed the foundation of a solid program that generated a pair of NIC titles and appearances at NAIA National Championships at Kansas City, MO in 1980 and 1982.

“Beating Mankato State (77-68) in the playoffs and going to the 1980 national tournament as a senior was the highlight of my career,” said Mulder, a prolific scorer and Academic All-American. “I still get my scrapbook out every now and then and look back at it.”

Schellhase couldn’t have picked a more fitting swan song for his final game in the valley, a rocking 82-76 victory over backyard rival Concordia College in the NAIA District 13 Championships that rocketed the Dragons to the national tournament in 1982.

When Schellhase left for the glitter of an NCAA Division I head coaching opportunity at Indiana State University following the 1982 national championships, much of the aura of Dragon basketball vaporized, and Moorhead State managed only one winning season in five years under coach John Nelson.

THE OTHER DRAGONS

Nobody saw the decline in Dragon wrestling coming, especially after a 8-3-0 finish in 1968-69 that brought MSC a third conference title under coach Garland and crowned four individual champions, including John Morley. The Oceanside, NY native performed best on the big stage, and placed second in the nation at the NCAA Division II national championships. Morley was also named an alternate for the United States Olympic Wrestling team.

Larry MacLeod

MSC closed the decade with a 5-5 mark in 1969-70, and would not produce another winning season again under Garland’s guidance in 15 years. Still, there would be some notable individual achievements, including a NIC 167-pound championship for Bob Bowlsby (Waterloo, IA) in 1973. While Bowlsby would enjoy his coronation, the 1998 Dragon Hall-of-Fame inductee would later play a prominent role in shaping the face of collegiate sports as Athletic Director at the University of Iowa.

It was not all gloom at Moorhead State, however. A rapidly maturing track program was ready to accept the championship baton, and began a remarkable run of seven consecutive NIC Outdoor titles in 1972. When Masanz climbed aboard as head coach in 1968, he began to restock the Dragon track cupboard with a batch of promising imports. Sprinters Ray Farwell (Alberta), Jim Gravalin (Moorhead), John Marsh (Bloomington), Greg Staszko (Fargo, ND), Dave Thompson (St. Charles), John Thorvilson (Robbinsdale), Dan Woodbury (White Bear Lake) and Gregg Kloss (Brainerd) would enjoy rewarding careers at State and contribute in a variety of races, including relays. Middle distance specialists Jim Fay (Moorhead), Dan Holoien (Fargo, ND), Pete Lapka (Winnipeg, CAN), Linc Woodbury (White Bear Lake) and Phil Solum (Hawley) were major contributors as well.

Dale Robley (Pelican Rapids) swept all eight possible NIC Indoor and Outdoor shot put titles during his career at State, and had plenty of help in the field events. Ken Scarbrough (Thorndike, ME) and Cal Baker (Morrisville, NC) excelled in the jumps; Bob Jappe (Tracy), a starting cornerback with the football Dragons, emerged as a first class hurdler, with help from Randy Salzwedel (Fargo, ND); while John Tiemann (St. Paul Highland Park), Mike Francis (Albany) and Bob Beeson (Moorhead) were a constant source of scoring in the distance events.

The men of Masanz made their mark on the national level as well, crowning 12 All-Americans from 1970-79. In 1979, St. Paul native Ron Graham won the two-mile at the NAIA National Indoor Championships at Kansas City, MO and became the first Dragon to win an individual national track title. Dave Bergstrom of Albert Lea, who soared 6-10 to win a national high jump championship at the 1979 NAIA National Outdoor, quickly joined him on the ultimate victory stand.

The Dragons made a rare appearance at the 1977 NCAA Division II National Outdoor Championships at Fargo, ND, and pocketed three All-American certificates. Gary Nordlund (Clearbrook) was second in the 10,000 meters, Bergstrom was second in the high jump and Baker finished fifth in the triple jump.

While Masanz was blessed with some marvelous individual talent, in his perfect world the individual would always be subordinate to the whole. While he enjoyed the skill of gifted athletes, Masanz always preached track was at its essence a team sport. It was always about accountability, setting high standards, building confidence, and leaning on each other. He believed in discipline and comradeship and often drew on his Marine background for strength and inspiration. There was little flexibility to the new man with the whistle, but time would teach him some lessons as well, and by the close of his long and storied coaching career his worshipful athletes would notice a slight mellowing that only enhanced his image.

Felchle recalled his track career, and competing for coach Masanz, with great fondness.

“He was tough but fair, and he appreciated and expected hard work,” said Felchle, the first Dragon to earn a track scholarship at Moorhead State. “Coach always projected the team concept, and camaraderie.”

New cross-country coach Ken Bladow and the Dragons made their breakthrough to a first NIC title in 1974 and repeated as team champs the following fall. Tiemann claimed a conference championship in 1973 and Francis followed in Tiemann’s footprints as NIC champ in 1974.

There were other successes as well. Veteran coach T. E. Smith’s patient approach paid substantial dividends when he guided his Dragon golf team to three straight NIC titles in 1970-72 and a trip to the national championships. The Dragons breezed to the 1971 NIC crown by 17 strokes, placed second at the NCAA II Midwest Regional tournament, and qualified for the NCAA II National Championships. Ron Larson (Montevideo) won the 1970 NIC medalist title with a 37-38-39—114 while Pete Houghton provided a repeat title for the Dragons the next spring with a 75-79—154, and Wayne Hudson (Moorhead) would tie for league medalist honors in 1977.

Smith’s classy stable of proven competitors also included Dave Bergeson (Barnesville) who later added a Big Ten title to his trophy case after transferring to the University of Minnesota. Several of Smith’s finished products remained fixtures on the regional golf scene for years, including Craig Palmer (Dilworth) and Mark Holm (Moorhead).

Assistant basketball coach Bob Bromme added the head tennis job to his coaching portfolio in 1970, and the Dragons promptly pieced together five consecutive winning seasons before the good times ebbed.

The baseball Dragons had their moments, but winning a conference title would remain a bridge too far. Outfielder Steve Nelson (Wadena), second baseman Daryl Oja (Wadena), shortstop Joe Harvala (Park Rapids) and pitcher Mike Wilson (Dumont) earned all-conference honors, but by 1979 coach Bill Thomas had his fill and resigned as head coach. The Dragons turned to unknown Joe Warner, an assistant coach at Benson High School, and the fortunes would take an amazing turn. Sadly, the good times wouldn’t last long.