On August 27, 1972, an article appeared in The Daily Oklahoman:
Lindsay Favored for Seventh Straight Title in 2A-3 Race
Lindsay appears all set to march to a seventh straight district title according to a vote of District 2A-3 coaches, all of whom pegged the Leopards as the conference favorite. The biggest stumbling blocks in Lindsay's path toward that goal in the monstrous eight team league are Pauls Valley, Marlow and Comanche...
The Leopards of Joe Tunnel have only six returning starters but 20 other lettermen stand ready to fill in the gaps by graduation. Cliff Krcha will move from fullback to quarterback but the rest of the backfield will be green. David Orr, a 6-4 by 220 giant defensive tackle, will try his hand at fullback while the other two running back spots will probably be filled by Ronnie Clements, a defensive regular, and Bobby Simonton, a junior letterman. The line will be rebuilt around center Craig Blankenship and guard Tony Wilson...
An article in The Daily Oklahoman on September 3, 1972, appeared which reported:
Who's No. 1?
Well, a whole season awaits high school football fans before that question is answered in the state's six championship classes. A quick look at the old crystal ball foresees two defending titlists and four playoff-hardened veterans winding up in king's row.
In the Sunday Oklahoman's annual attempt to predict the outcome of the upcoming gridiron season, Lawton is the pick in Class 4A, Altus in 3A, Lindsay in 2A...
The picture in Class 2A is much the same with a lot of solid clubs developing but no one dominant team. Lindsay faces a long, hard struggle in its district against Pauls Valley, Marlow and Comanche but that will be only the start if the Leopards are to claim the state championship that has eluded them since 1963...
Lindsay started out the 1972 season as usual - beating a very good Purcell club, 8-6. I was now a sophomore Leopard on one of the most "tradition rich" high school football teams in Oklahoma, so saw limited action in that first game. I played mostly on special teams, but got to play my defensive position for much of the time during the Purcell game. The Purcell Dragons had several players such as Joe McReynolds, quarterback, who would go on to be named The Sunday Oklahoman "Back of the Year" in 1972 and receive a football scholarship to the University of Oklahoma.
In the week of practice leading up to the Purcell game, the Leopards worked against defending against the "option" game of the Dragons - since they had maybe the best option quarterback in the state and the fastest halfback in Gerald Green. While Green was only a sophomore like me, he was a much better player than I ever could be - and could "run a hole in the wind".
As a right cornerback on Lindsay's vaunted defense, my job was to "take out the pitch man" (Green) whenever the option play came my way. Our defensive end's responsibility was to "take out the quarterback" (McReynolds) whenever the option came our way. We worked all week long in defending against the option, because as everyone can recall - the OU wishbone option was the Sooners' best play during the early 1970's.
The Purcell game arrived on Friday night, and I was not too nervous, as I was sure that I would never darken the field. I would be relegated to cheering on our Leopards from the safety of the sideline. I was sorely mistaken, as Coach Tunnel thrust me into the game early.
I desperately tried to remember my assignment if the option play came my way, and it soon did. What respectable Purcell offensive coordinator would not pick on the sophomore when McReynolds and Green saw the newcomer enter the game? As the option play developed, I saw our defensive end miss the quarterback as he came down the line toward me. McReynolds was often "missed" by defensive ends though, as he was to become the OU Sooners' new option quarterback in 1973. My job, as practiced, was to take out Green when the option play appeared. When I saw the end miss the tackle on the quarterback, I came off the pitch and hit McReynolds squarely under the chin. The only problem was that McReynolds pitched the ball to Green at the last moment, just before I hit him. I seem to remember that Green went on a long run, due to my irresponsibility. He may have even scored, as it was all a blur to me at the time, and still is. I was certainly happy that one girlfriend at the time did not witness my high school debut, as it would have been an embarrassment.
I do remember about that Purcell game as seeing one of the hardest hits I ever witnessed in a high school game. The Leopards had punted to the Dragons, and as the return man for Purcell received the ball - our defensive linebacker Rick Billingsley was bearing down on him. The returner caught the punt, took about two steps, and was met with the force of a runaway locomotive. The hit evidently knocked the Dragon into an uncertain future, as he had to be assisted from the field. In the film room on Sunday afternoon, an assistant coach - either S.J. Foster or Hodie Estes, ran the same play back and forth several times - so the younger Leopards could see how to tackle an opponent.
A note about the Purcell Dragons following their close loss to the Leopards in 1972 is that they finished the season with a 13-1 record and Class A state champions. An article from The Oklahoman on December 10, 1972, read:
Purcell Pops Hominy for (Class) A Title
Led by wonderful Joe McReynolds, Purcell exploded for three first-half touchdowns then hogged the ball after intermission to throttle Hominy, 24-7, Friday night for the Dragons' first Class A state high school football title ever...
The Lindsay Leopards beat Yukon, 20-6, in the season's second game, beat El Reno, 6-0, in the season's third game before facing arch-rival Marlow in the first District 2A-3 game. I have several memories from that Marlow game in 1972:
The week of practice leading up to the battle with Marlow, found the Leopards preparing for the Marlow "single wing" offensive attack. It was an offense not used by any other high school teams in Oklahoma, other than maybe Tuttle. It was a "scary" offense, as the Outlaws were led by three-year starter Jr. Thompson at "quarterback", who took the direct snap in "shotgun" style. The other running backs would then usually cross running patterns, so the defense never really knew who had the ball. The offense was very effective against teams which usually didn't get to see the "single wing" very often.
During the week of the Marlow game in practice, Coach Tunnel had told me that I would be returning kick-offs against the Outlaws. I became nervous as Friday night approached, as I did not want to be embarrassed once again. Once again though, I could not be too embarrassed - as a girlfriend at the time was not expected to attend. How badly could I truly screw up?
As I was lining up to receive the opening kick-off at Outlaw Stadium with the other Leopards, I heard over the loudspeaker that Jimmy Beckham would be returning the opening kick-off for the Leopards, and then "He is the son of Johnny Beckham, the great Outlaw who played for Marlow in 1946, 1947 and 1948." Coach Tunnell knew this fact about my dad, and it was probably the reason he put me in the game to return kicks. It was to honor my dad, who was now blind, and could not really see me play. What a great man Coach Tunnell was, and still is today!
We eventually lost the game, 20-19, on a long pass play in the waning seconds. As I recall, Jr. Thompson, the Outlaw quarterback, heaved a "hail mary" into the end zone with only a few seconds left in the 4th quarter. The ball was tipped by, I believe, Jeff Ardrey into the waiting arms of one Marlow receiver standing in the end zone. It was a heartbreaking loss under any circumstances, but especially the way it happened. We believed the best team did not win on that Friday night, and it may have set the tone for the rest of the season.
In the fifth game of the season and the second District 2A-3 contest, the Leopards beat Mustang, 35-3, and an article in The Oklahoman on October 7, 1972 reported:
Lindsay Hops On Mustang
LINDSAY -- A Mustang field goal with 4:10 left in the half seemed to rile up the Lindsay Leopards who quickly wiped out that deficit and rolled to a 35-3 victory Friday night. Lindsay drove 74 yards in eight plays following a 28-yard field goal by Robert Lynch to score with 54 seconds left in the half. The Leopards poured across three quick touchdowns in the third quarter.
Bobby Simonton opened the second half barrage with a 46-yard run. Lindsay scored again three minutes later after Tony Wilson recovered a fumble on the Mustang 14. Benny Chambers intercepted three Mustang passes. Simonton scored two touchdowns, Cliff Krcha scored two touchdowns and Ronnie Clements scored once.
In the sixth game of the year, Lindsay was to play Comanche in what was billed as the The Oklahoman's No. 5 "top game" in the state. Lindsay beat Comanche, 12-7, in a close physical contest. The Leopards then beat Harrah, 34-6, and The Oklahoman reported on October 22, 1972:
Quick Lindsay Scores Dump Harrah, 34-6
Lindsay scored the first two times it touched the football to breeze to a 34-6 victory over Harrah Friday night. The Leopards marched the opening kickoff 55 yards with David Orr breaking for the final 18 and struck again in the first period on a four-yard run by Cliff Krcha. Bobby Simonton on a one-yard plunge, Bennie Chambers on a 38-yard pass interception and Krcha again on a 52-yard punt return raised the lead to 34-0 before Harrah got on the scoreboard in the fourth period on an eight-yard run by Terrance Valinski.
Lindsay beat Tecumseh, 25-0, in the season's eighth game, and then faced the Pauls Valley Panthers - an old and familiar rival - for what would be for the District 2A-3 championship. Once again, an article in The Daily Oklahoman by Lynn Garnand on October 31, 1972, before the clash with Pauls Valley opined:
As usual, the Lindsay - Pauls Valley donnybrook will mean a district title but until last week it didn't look like it would. Lindsay dropped a 20-19 decision to Marlow late in September and the only way for the Leopards to get back in the playoff picture was for Marlow to lose two games. The Outlaws did! (emphasis mine). The Lindsay - Pauls Valley clash was rated by The Daily Oklahoman as the state's No. 2 best game of the week leading up to it, and fireworks were expected. I suppose now would be a good time to share my memories of the Lindsay- Pauls Valley rivalry and what sports rivalries were truly like in high school "back in the day".
During, I think it was the 1971 or 1972 basketball season, Lindsay played Pauls Valley. I did not attend the basketball game at Pauls Valley, but several of my friends, including Roger Dodd, did see the game in person, so my recollections of what transpired was second-hand. I don't remember many details and certainly may be mistaken about several facts, but this is my recollection:
The morning after the game, we (junior high boys) were standing around on the front steps of the school visiting and eyeballing junior high girls, but mostly just telling stories to each other. I may eventually stand corrected, but Roger told me that there had been a giant bench-clearing brawl following the basketball game at Pauls Valley the night before. It seems that the Panthers were still hurting from the 43-14 football thrashing in 1970 and the upset victory by the Leopards in 1971, so it is believed that the Pauls Valley Panthers started the melee, as losers often do. It involved players from both teams, coaches and spectators, so it was one of the biggest brawls ever seen on a high school basketball court. Again, I may stand corrected on some facts, but many Leopards and Panthers shed some blood that night. I was told that one Leopard even got his front teeth separated from his mouth during the brawl. It continued for quite sometime until the coaches and some of the participants were able to cool things off.
Such was the case of the Pauls Valley - Lindsay rivalry back in the day (the 1960's and 1970's), and believe me when I say that things have changed for the better since then... for all high school rivalries.
Back to football... Following the Lindsay - PV game in 1972, Lynn Garnand's Prep Parade in The Daily Oklahoman said it all:
Lindsay, the pre-season favorite in 2A, saw its playoff hopes go down the drain when Pauls Valley subdued the Leopards, 12-7. Lindsay was trying for its sixth district championship in a row and its 10th in the last 11 years. If Pauls Valley can beat Harrah this week, the Panthers will own their first district title in history. (In fact, Pauls Valley had evidently not ever made the playoffs before 1972, unlike Lindsay who had won four state titles and been state runnerup twice.) A Pauls Valley loss would put Comanche in the playoffs providing the Indians can survive a battle with Mustang Friday.
For those who thought Lindsay was only average in 1972, consider their record was 8-2 (The Leopards did go on to beat Noble, 26-0, in its 10th game of the year), and they beat the eventual Class A Champion, Purcell, 8-6, in the first game. Pauls Valley, who had defeated the Leopards, 12-7, for the district title, went on to make the state finals against Broken Bow - before losing, 12-7, and ending its season with an 11-2 record. The Leopards had only allowed 54 points to be scored on them all season long, but missed the playoffs due to losing to a state finalist (PV) and losing to Marlow on a "hail mary" pass play.
A post-season note about the 1972 Leopards - In the night following the last game against Noble, I was involved in a pick-up crash down on a county road down on Rush Creek. I had stayed over with one of my best friends following that game, and we were just driving around the area late at night. It had been raining a little bit and the roads were slick as we drove west past where my grandparents lived. My friend drove a little too close to the edge of the roadway and the right side tires caught the six-inch drop. The pick-up left the roadway on the right side, traveling maybe 45 miles per hour, and struck two cottonwood trees at the bottom of a ten-foot embankment. (No, we had not been drinking.) The pick-up came to rest with my arm pinned in between one of the trees and the pick-up door. The only thing I remember was waking up and thinking I was having a bad dream. Both sides of my jaw were broken and two bones in my arm was broken. In addition, my right hand was crushed by the pick-up.
As a result of the crash, I missed most of the '72 basketball season, but soon recovered with the help of many Lindsay Leopards - and looked forward to the 1973 Lindsay football season.
Thursday, May 21, 2020
Tuesday, May 19, 2020
Curtis Hayes
As a Lindsay Leopard, I often write about those Leopards who are good friends from my childhood. Unfortunately, I usually post a column or write an article about them when they pass on. They never see or read my tribute... or do they?
The following tribute is based on my friendship with Curtis Hayes, as he passed away on May 11, 2020.
My first memory of Curtis was as my 5th grade (or sixth) basketball coach in Lindsay, Oklahoma. At the time, I did not know that Curtis was a former Leopard basketball all-stater, and that he graduated with my mother, Mary Beckham, also a Leopardette all-stater in 1954. Curtis was not only a great basketball athlete in high school, but he was a great little league coach - as I averaged maybe one point per game while playing for him. As a matter of fact, I remember a game that my team won 17-16... the difference being my one made free throw.
Curtis Hayes continued attending many Lindsay games in all sports, as I saw him several times at games that I was able to attend. He attended most of those sporting events with his friend, Wayne Yandell, and I can still see them seated together near the top of the bleachers in the Charles K. Heatly gym.
I, and most former Leopards, will miss seeing Curtis Hayes, but I know we'll all soon be reunited.
The following tribute is based on my friendship with Curtis Hayes, as he passed away on May 11, 2020.
My first memory of Curtis was as my 5th grade (or sixth) basketball coach in Lindsay, Oklahoma. At the time, I did not know that Curtis was a former Leopard basketball all-stater, and that he graduated with my mother, Mary Beckham, also a Leopardette all-stater in 1954. Curtis was not only a great basketball athlete in high school, but he was a great little league coach - as I averaged maybe one point per game while playing for him. As a matter of fact, I remember a game that my team won 17-16... the difference being my one made free throw.
Curtis Hayes continued attending many Lindsay games in all sports, as I saw him several times at games that I was able to attend. He attended most of those sporting events with his friend, Wayne Yandell, and I can still see them seated together near the top of the bleachers in the Charles K. Heatly gym.
I, and most former Leopards, will miss seeing Curtis Hayes, but I know we'll all soon be reunited.
Monday, May 11, 2020
Leopard Legends 1971
The Lindsay Leopards began the 1971 season in usual fashion by beating Purcell, 21-6. As a matter of fact, the Leopards had lost to Purcell only twice during the 1960's, a 22-0 loss in 1960 and a 19-0 loss in 1969. The Purcell Dragons had become somewhat of a "punching bag" for Lindsay, and it would be several more years before the Dragons would end Lindsay's dominance.
The Leopards then tied Yukon in the season's second game and beat Crooked Oak, 44-0, in the third game. Lindsay beat Marlow, 14-6, for their first District 2A-3 win in 1971, thrashed Dunjee, 59-12, beat Comanche, 14-0, before losing to El Reno, 26-0, in the season's seventh game. Lindsay then beat Western Heights, 39-0, setting the stage in the showdown with the Pauls Valley Panthers, the last District 2A-3 game. This game was for "all the marbles" as to whether the Leopards or the Panthers would go on to the Class 2A playoffs. An article in the Daily Oklahoman leading up to the game recounted on November 2, 1971:
A LOT'S AT STAKE IN NO. 1 PREP GAME
Pauls Valley to Host Lindsay
The question of who's got the best team in District 2A-3 and possibly even in Class 2A will be answered Friday night when Lindsay travels to Pauls Valley for the No. 1 high school football game of the week. Pauls Valley is currently the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2A, owning a 7-0-1 record, while Lindsay, the defending 2A-3 champion and the 1970 2A state runner-up, is rated third with a showing of 6-1-1 thus far this season. Both clubs stand 4-0 in the district standings so the winner of the Pauls Valley-Lindsay clash will be making a trip to the state play-offs.
Post-season play is nothing new to the Leopards, who have made the playoffs the last four years and eight out of the last nine. Lindsay has four state championships to its credit since 1955.
Pauls Valley, on the other hand, has never been in the playoffs despite having some of the state's outstanding teams. The Panthers have always had the misfortune of being in a district with another great team. For the last four years, that team has been Lindsay. (So, Purcell and Marlow weren't the only teams being dominated by Lindsay at this time.)
In the same Daily Oklahoman article, Lynn Garnand reported in a harbinger of things to come: Watonga will be after its eighth straight trip to the playoffs when it invades Kingfisher. The Eagles can win the 2A-1 crown outright while Kingfisher can still earn a tie...
So Lindsay played Pauls Valley on December 6, 1971, and on December 8, 1971, Lynn Garnand of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay's Through Playing Second Fiddle, It's No. 1
The Lindsay Leopards, after playing second fiddle to Pauls Valley most of the season, take over the No. 1 post in class 2A in The Daily Oklahoman's weekly football ratings following a 17-14 victory over the previously top-ranked Panthers. The move upward by Lindsay in 2A is the only change among its No. 1 teams...
The No. 1 position is nothing new to coach Joe Tunnel's Leopards. They held down the top spot all season in 1970 and have been in the Top Ten all of this year. The win over Pauls Valley earned Lindsay the District 2A-3 championship and gives the Leopards their fifth straight ticket to the state playoffs, where they made the finals a year ago.
The loss was a bitter one for Pauls Valley, which was the pre-season pick in 2A. The Panthers had carved out a 7-0-1 record against some tough opponents before running into the Lindsay powerhouse...
The Class 2A rankings after the Lindsay win were: 1-Lindsay, 2-Seminole, 3-Sallisaw, 4-Pauls Valley, 5-Atoka, 6-Watonga, 7-Jenks, 8-Elk City, 9-Stigler, 10-Wagoner
The Leopards went on to crush Wynnewood, 35-0, in the season's tenth game, which was a non-district opponent - and a warm-up for the state playoffs. Lindsay was to face Seminole in the first playoff game and it would be a showdown of the state's two top-ranked teams. The Lindsay Leopards, ranked No. 1, played the Seminole Chieftains, ranked second, on November 18,1971. On November 20, Lynn Garnand of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Breezes, 18-0
LINDSAY -- Lindsay, throwing away its ground attack for a passing game, went to the airways to destroy Seminole, 18-0, and earned the Leopards a berth in the Class-2A semifinals Friday night at Burford Field. The Leopards came to the game ranked No. 1 in Class-2A and Seminole No. 2, but after the first six minutes it was clear that Lindsay would dominate the contest.
The triumph was a mile-stone not only in Lindsay's historic football background but it was a big one for the Leopards coach Joe Tunnell, who recorded his 100th career win. Lindsay, never know in the past for its passing game, set up both of its touchdowns on aerials and wound up completing six of 12, all in the first half.
Scott Rose, the Leopards' hard running tailback, did the best he could against against a vastly- heftier Seminole line (anyone remember Chez Evans, Seminole's 300+ pound tackle?) and scored both of Lindsay's touchdowns while picking up 51 yards on 13 carries.
Lindsay, the 1970 Class 2A state runnerup, will now take a 9-1-1 record into the semifinals while Seminole closes out its finest season in several years at 8-2-1.
Lindsay, its lighter but quicker line opening just enough holes to allow the Leopard backs through, moved 51 yards to a touchdown the second time it had the ball. The scoring march required nine plays, the big gainer a 20 yard pass from quarterback Tony Cruse to tight end Steve Ford.
Ford made a fantastic, leaping catch at the sidelines and fell out of bounds at the two. Rose went over on the next play and Bobby Bruner kicked the extra point with 4:33 remaining in the first quarter. Lindsay made it 10-0 almost 12 minutes later when Kyle Lackey booted a 20-yard field goal. The Leopards had driven from their own 45 to the Seminole seven but were thrown back on two successive plays to force Lindsay to try for the three-pointer.
The victors were not to be denied on their next series, however, moving 52 yards in seven plays with Rose pushing across from the one. Most of the yardage came through the air on passes of 19 and 9 yards to Cliff Krcha, and a 13-yarder to Ronnie Clements. The latter toss carried to the one to set up Rose's second score. On the conversion, Lindsay lined up for the kick but Cruse saw the right side open and ran it in for two points and an 18-0 lead. That was all the scoring as Lindsay settled down to a defensive game in the second half.
The Leopards held Seminole to 21 yards total offense in the first half, preventing the Chieftains from making a first down until midway in the third quarter. Lackey, a linebacker, proved he was not only a kicker but also an outstanding defensive player as he led Lindsay in tackles. He got lots of help from Ronnie Clements, Brent Clements, Bruce Condit and Mark Newey.
Seminole, which could only make it to the Leopard 47 in the first half, finally got its offense going in the second half, but still only made one serious scoring threat. That carried to the Lindsay 13 late in the game but the Leopards stiffened to preserve the shutout.
The Lindsay Leopards had posted six shutouts of the 11 total games played through the state quarterfinals. Their defense was considered extraordinary with several returning starters from the 1970 team, and a few additonal players who were hungry for a championship. Those defensive stalwarts included not only Kyle Lackey, Doug Baker, Brent Clements and Scott Rose profiled in the 1970 Legends, but Steve Allen, Ronnie Clements, Bruce Condit, Rick Billingsley, Tony Wilson and Mark Newey.
While I don't stay in regular contact with many of these former Leopards, I know that Ronnie Clements went on to play football at East Central University in Ada; Bruce Condit signed with Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, but due to an injury, played only one year. Bruce transferred to Central State University where he graduated, before teaching "speech" at OSU as a graduate student, where I had his class as a freshman; Mark Newey went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and became a Doctor of Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy and family medicine in Healdton, Oklahoma. Mark also has a ranch south of Lindsay on Rush Creek and is my hay supplier.
After beating Seminole, the Leopards were to meet the Watonga Eagles in the state semi-finals in late November of 1971. The Leopards were ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, and Watonga was eighth ranked going into the game. Lindsay had just beaten the No. 2 ranked team, Seminole, in the state quarterfinals, so were expected to beat Watonga the next week. Watonga's record was 8-2-1 going into the game, while Lindsay's was 10-0-1.
I was a freshman Leopard at the time, and was thrilled to find out that we would would be allowed to travel with the real Leopards to the game on Friday night. There was eight or nine of us that would travel by bus and be allowed to stand on the sidelines and cheer the Leopards on. I expected the Leopards would "take care of business" on Friday night, and we'd all re-live the game on the bus ride home.
Not much was written in newspapers following the semi-final game with Watonga, so what follows is my own memory of that 1971 clash:
In my mind, there were not many teams that could stand up to the Leopards. We had some of the best players in the state and maybe the most intense linebackers in Kyle Lackey, Doug Baker, Rick Billingsley (my neighbor to the south who gave me rides home from practice on some days) and company.
I, along with my freshman teammates, paced the sidelines in our street clothes as the game kicked off . As predicted, the clash with Watonga began as a defensive battle from the beginning, and stayed that way throughout. I began to get nervous along about halftime as the score was still knotted at 0-0. Our Leopards had not yet broken the scoring ice as they did a week earlier against Seminole, but I thought we soon would.
Watonga's wishbone offense (modeled after the OU Sooners' powerful wishbone) had scored over 300 points up to that game, but seemed to be stymied by the always powerful Leopard defense. Neither team could muster much offense, however, so the game remained deadlocked during the second half. The Leopards continued to fight throughout the heated battle as the clock continued to wind down.
An explanation of how a tie is broken when deciding the winner of a playoff game is now in order, as it appeared the game would end exactly as it had started - tied 0-0. As many Leopard fans may recall, the 1955 Class B state semi-finals which pitted Lindsay against Newkirk ended in a 20-20 tie. (The text of the game may be read here.) Until 1975, a playoff game which ended in a tie was decided first on the number of penetrations each team had. A "penetration" was when a team crossed its opponent's 20-yard line. If penetrations were tied at the end of the game, the number of first downs each team got was used as the tie-breaker. If the number of first downs were tied, total yardage for each team was used as the tie-breaker.
As Wayne Estes barreled across the 20-yard line during the waning moments of that 1955 semi-final game, it gave the Leopards a 3-2 advantage in penetrations and a trip to the 1955 Class B state title game. Now we return to the 1971 Class 2A semi-final game with Watonga:
During the waning moments of that Lindsay/Watonga game, the score was still knotted, 0-0, but Watonga led in penetrations, 3-2. I can't really remember if Lindsay was still driving for a score, or if Watonga had the ball as time expired, but I do remember how depressed I felt following the game. It was an awfully long bus ride home afterwards. I know it had to be even more depressing for the players and coaches who left everything "on the field".
The Lindsay Leopards were continuing to dominate the competition into the 1970's, however, and more good things would soon happen for Lindsay. Next we'll profile the 1972 Leopard Legends of the Fall (my sophomore year)...
The Leopards then tied Yukon in the season's second game and beat Crooked Oak, 44-0, in the third game. Lindsay beat Marlow, 14-6, for their first District 2A-3 win in 1971, thrashed Dunjee, 59-12, beat Comanche, 14-0, before losing to El Reno, 26-0, in the season's seventh game. Lindsay then beat Western Heights, 39-0, setting the stage in the showdown with the Pauls Valley Panthers, the last District 2A-3 game. This game was for "all the marbles" as to whether the Leopards or the Panthers would go on to the Class 2A playoffs. An article in the Daily Oklahoman leading up to the game recounted on November 2, 1971:
A LOT'S AT STAKE IN NO. 1 PREP GAME
Pauls Valley to Host Lindsay
The question of who's got the best team in District 2A-3 and possibly even in Class 2A will be answered Friday night when Lindsay travels to Pauls Valley for the No. 1 high school football game of the week. Pauls Valley is currently the No. 1 ranked team in Class 2A, owning a 7-0-1 record, while Lindsay, the defending 2A-3 champion and the 1970 2A state runner-up, is rated third with a showing of 6-1-1 thus far this season. Both clubs stand 4-0 in the district standings so the winner of the Pauls Valley-Lindsay clash will be making a trip to the state play-offs.
Post-season play is nothing new to the Leopards, who have made the playoffs the last four years and eight out of the last nine. Lindsay has four state championships to its credit since 1955.
Pauls Valley, on the other hand, has never been in the playoffs despite having some of the state's outstanding teams. The Panthers have always had the misfortune of being in a district with another great team. For the last four years, that team has been Lindsay. (So, Purcell and Marlow weren't the only teams being dominated by Lindsay at this time.)
In the same Daily Oklahoman article, Lynn Garnand reported in a harbinger of things to come: Watonga will be after its eighth straight trip to the playoffs when it invades Kingfisher. The Eagles can win the 2A-1 crown outright while Kingfisher can still earn a tie...
So Lindsay played Pauls Valley on December 6, 1971, and on December 8, 1971, Lynn Garnand of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay's Through Playing Second Fiddle, It's No. 1
The Lindsay Leopards, after playing second fiddle to Pauls Valley most of the season, take over the No. 1 post in class 2A in The Daily Oklahoman's weekly football ratings following a 17-14 victory over the previously top-ranked Panthers. The move upward by Lindsay in 2A is the only change among its No. 1 teams...
The No. 1 position is nothing new to coach Joe Tunnel's Leopards. They held down the top spot all season in 1970 and have been in the Top Ten all of this year. The win over Pauls Valley earned Lindsay the District 2A-3 championship and gives the Leopards their fifth straight ticket to the state playoffs, where they made the finals a year ago.
The loss was a bitter one for Pauls Valley, which was the pre-season pick in 2A. The Panthers had carved out a 7-0-1 record against some tough opponents before running into the Lindsay powerhouse...
The Class 2A rankings after the Lindsay win were: 1-Lindsay, 2-Seminole, 3-Sallisaw, 4-Pauls Valley, 5-Atoka, 6-Watonga, 7-Jenks, 8-Elk City, 9-Stigler, 10-Wagoner
The Leopards went on to crush Wynnewood, 35-0, in the season's tenth game, which was a non-district opponent - and a warm-up for the state playoffs. Lindsay was to face Seminole in the first playoff game and it would be a showdown of the state's two top-ranked teams. The Lindsay Leopards, ranked No. 1, played the Seminole Chieftains, ranked second, on November 18,1971. On November 20, Lynn Garnand of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Breezes, 18-0
LINDSAY -- Lindsay, throwing away its ground attack for a passing game, went to the airways to destroy Seminole, 18-0, and earned the Leopards a berth in the Class-2A semifinals Friday night at Burford Field. The Leopards came to the game ranked No. 1 in Class-2A and Seminole No. 2, but after the first six minutes it was clear that Lindsay would dominate the contest.
The triumph was a mile-stone not only in Lindsay's historic football background but it was a big one for the Leopards coach Joe Tunnell, who recorded his 100th career win. Lindsay, never know in the past for its passing game, set up both of its touchdowns on aerials and wound up completing six of 12, all in the first half.
Scott Rose, the Leopards' hard running tailback, did the best he could against against a vastly- heftier Seminole line (anyone remember Chez Evans, Seminole's 300+ pound tackle?) and scored both of Lindsay's touchdowns while picking up 51 yards on 13 carries.
Lindsay, the 1970 Class 2A state runnerup, will now take a 9-1-1 record into the semifinals while Seminole closes out its finest season in several years at 8-2-1.
Lindsay, its lighter but quicker line opening just enough holes to allow the Leopard backs through, moved 51 yards to a touchdown the second time it had the ball. The scoring march required nine plays, the big gainer a 20 yard pass from quarterback Tony Cruse to tight end Steve Ford.
Ford made a fantastic, leaping catch at the sidelines and fell out of bounds at the two. Rose went over on the next play and Bobby Bruner kicked the extra point with 4:33 remaining in the first quarter. Lindsay made it 10-0 almost 12 minutes later when Kyle Lackey booted a 20-yard field goal. The Leopards had driven from their own 45 to the Seminole seven but were thrown back on two successive plays to force Lindsay to try for the three-pointer.
The victors were not to be denied on their next series, however, moving 52 yards in seven plays with Rose pushing across from the one. Most of the yardage came through the air on passes of 19 and 9 yards to Cliff Krcha, and a 13-yarder to Ronnie Clements. The latter toss carried to the one to set up Rose's second score. On the conversion, Lindsay lined up for the kick but Cruse saw the right side open and ran it in for two points and an 18-0 lead. That was all the scoring as Lindsay settled down to a defensive game in the second half.
The Leopards held Seminole to 21 yards total offense in the first half, preventing the Chieftains from making a first down until midway in the third quarter. Lackey, a linebacker, proved he was not only a kicker but also an outstanding defensive player as he led Lindsay in tackles. He got lots of help from Ronnie Clements, Brent Clements, Bruce Condit and Mark Newey.
Seminole, which could only make it to the Leopard 47 in the first half, finally got its offense going in the second half, but still only made one serious scoring threat. That carried to the Lindsay 13 late in the game but the Leopards stiffened to preserve the shutout.
The Lindsay Leopards had posted six shutouts of the 11 total games played through the state quarterfinals. Their defense was considered extraordinary with several returning starters from the 1970 team, and a few additonal players who were hungry for a championship. Those defensive stalwarts included not only Kyle Lackey, Doug Baker, Brent Clements and Scott Rose profiled in the 1970 Legends, but Steve Allen, Ronnie Clements, Bruce Condit, Rick Billingsley, Tony Wilson and Mark Newey.
While I don't stay in regular contact with many of these former Leopards, I know that Ronnie Clements went on to play football at East Central University in Ada; Bruce Condit signed with Abilene Christian University in Abilene, Texas, but due to an injury, played only one year. Bruce transferred to Central State University where he graduated, before teaching "speech" at OSU as a graduate student, where I had his class as a freshman; Mark Newey went on to graduate from Oklahoma State University Center for Health Sciences College of Osteopathic Medicine and became a Doctor of Osteopathic Manipulative Therapy and family medicine in Healdton, Oklahoma. Mark also has a ranch south of Lindsay on Rush Creek and is my hay supplier.
After beating Seminole, the Leopards were to meet the Watonga Eagles in the state semi-finals in late November of 1971. The Leopards were ranked No. 1 in Class 2A, and Watonga was eighth ranked going into the game. Lindsay had just beaten the No. 2 ranked team, Seminole, in the state quarterfinals, so were expected to beat Watonga the next week. Watonga's record was 8-2-1 going into the game, while Lindsay's was 10-0-1.
I was a freshman Leopard at the time, and was thrilled to find out that we would would be allowed to travel with the real Leopards to the game on Friday night. There was eight or nine of us that would travel by bus and be allowed to stand on the sidelines and cheer the Leopards on. I expected the Leopards would "take care of business" on Friday night, and we'd all re-live the game on the bus ride home.
Not much was written in newspapers following the semi-final game with Watonga, so what follows is my own memory of that 1971 clash:
In my mind, there were not many teams that could stand up to the Leopards. We had some of the best players in the state and maybe the most intense linebackers in Kyle Lackey, Doug Baker, Rick Billingsley (my neighbor to the south who gave me rides home from practice on some days) and company.
I, along with my freshman teammates, paced the sidelines in our street clothes as the game kicked off . As predicted, the clash with Watonga began as a defensive battle from the beginning, and stayed that way throughout. I began to get nervous along about halftime as the score was still knotted at 0-0. Our Leopards had not yet broken the scoring ice as they did a week earlier against Seminole, but I thought we soon would.
Watonga's wishbone offense (modeled after the OU Sooners' powerful wishbone) had scored over 300 points up to that game, but seemed to be stymied by the always powerful Leopard defense. Neither team could muster much offense, however, so the game remained deadlocked during the second half. The Leopards continued to fight throughout the heated battle as the clock continued to wind down.
An explanation of how a tie is broken when deciding the winner of a playoff game is now in order, as it appeared the game would end exactly as it had started - tied 0-0. As many Leopard fans may recall, the 1955 Class B state semi-finals which pitted Lindsay against Newkirk ended in a 20-20 tie. (The text of the game may be read here.) Until 1975, a playoff game which ended in a tie was decided first on the number of penetrations each team had. A "penetration" was when a team crossed its opponent's 20-yard line. If penetrations were tied at the end of the game, the number of first downs each team got was used as the tie-breaker. If the number of first downs were tied, total yardage for each team was used as the tie-breaker.
As Wayne Estes barreled across the 20-yard line during the waning moments of that 1955 semi-final game, it gave the Leopards a 3-2 advantage in penetrations and a trip to the 1955 Class B state title game. Now we return to the 1971 Class 2A semi-final game with Watonga:
During the waning moments of that Lindsay/Watonga game, the score was still knotted, 0-0, but Watonga led in penetrations, 3-2. I can't really remember if Lindsay was still driving for a score, or if Watonga had the ball as time expired, but I do remember how depressed I felt following the game. It was an awfully long bus ride home afterwards. I know it had to be even more depressing for the players and coaches who left everything "on the field".
The Lindsay Leopards were continuing to dominate the competition into the 1970's, however, and more good things would soon happen for Lindsay. Next we'll profile the 1972 Leopard Legends of the Fall (my sophomore year)...
Monday, May 4, 2020
Leopard Legends of the Fall 1970
Lindsay, in 1970, was returning many starters from the 1969 Leopard football team which finished with four wins, six losses and one tie. The question was: Even with the Leopards returning many starters from the 1969 club, how could Lindsay expect a better 1970 season - since they experienced a less than stellar record in 1969? The Leopards would soon 'answer the bell', and in a big way.
The Lindsay Leopards began the 1970 season by shutting out Purcell, 34-0; Yukon, 30-0; and Crooked Oak, 47-0, before facing Marlow (an old rival) in the fourth game of the year.
On September 26, 1970, a few days after Lindsay beat Crooked Oak, an article in The Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Fells Crooked Oak
Lindsay's Mike Terry carried the ball four times for 128 yards and three touchdowns to trigger the Leopards to a 47-0 trouncing of Crooked Oak Friday night. Terry darted 56 and 47 yards to touchdowns in the opening quarter and eight yards to a second-quarter tally. Bud McGuire ran 13 yards to another first-period touchdown and Billy Welsh scored on a four-yard run in the second stanza as the Leopards slashed to a 34-0 advantage at halftime.
Johnny Branch ran 31 and seven yards to touchdowns in the third period for the final reading and Lindsay's alternate unit played the entire fourth quarter. Crooked Oak could get no closer than the Lindsay 40.
I was an eighth grade student during the 1970 Leopard season at Lindsay Junior High, and three things were very clear after that third game:
1) The Leopards had a very fast and elusive tailback, Mike Terry, which was different than the big and strong, but not necessarily speedy tailbacks from previous years. This added a dimension to the Leopards which they had not previously enjoyed.
2) As evidenced from the article above, Joe Tunnel had also begun to spread out the ball-carrying chores, with several runners shouldering the load. This dimension was also different from seasons past in which one tailback may carry 25 to 35 times in a game.
3) The Leopards evidently had a smothering defense, as they had shut-out their first three opponents by a combined score of 111-0.
The 1970 Lindsay Leopards were to play Marlow for the fourth game. The coaching staff for Lindsay now included Head Coach Joe Tunnel, and assistants S.J. Foster, H.O. Estes (from the 1955 and 1958 championship teams), Charley Heatly (famed Leopardette basketball coach which had won the 1968 state title) and R.V. Hayden, who would also win the 1973 Class 2A baseball championship. (It was unclear what the assistants' first name initials stood for, so students and players were free to guess.)
Lindsay Junior High students did not see many of the High School students very often, if ever, since the Junior High hallway ran east and west on the south side of the the School, while the High School hallway ran parallel on the north side. Junior High students were forbidden from entering the High School hallway unless having a class close by. The rare glimpse of one of my Leopard heroes or one of the High School Leopardettes was something I remembered.
Before playing Marlow in the season's fourth game, Tony Henson (my cousin and Leopard underclassman) told me that Coach Foster had told the team that Marlow would probably end their shut-out streak at three. It was a motivational technique often employed by coaches. Lindsay wound up beating Marlow, 35-0, for their fourth consecutive shut-out. The Leopards then beat Dunjee (which consolidated with Star Spencer a few years later), 57-6; Comanche, 49-12; El Reno, 28-6; Western Heights, 43-6; Pauls Valley, 43-14, and Wynnewood, 56-0, to finish the regular season with 10 wins and no losses. They had compiled 422 points (six touchdowns per game) while holding the opposition to only 44 during the entire regular season, and were to play Wewoka in the state Class 2A Quarterfinals. I had attended every "home" game that year and several "away" games. My closest encounter with Coach Joe Tunnel during my eighth grade year, was when I was walking down the north-south hallway during lunch hour. To pass time after eating lunch we (junior high students) could walk circles down the hall from south to north, exiting on the north end (where we may see a High School Leopard or Leopardette), turn left and walk back to the south end of the school to complete the endless circle, until the bell rang, signaling the start of fourth period. Coach Tunnel was on hall duty one day, and as I passed him with one of my friends (not a girl, LOL) - he said "Hey! I see that you caught a touchdown pass last night!" I didn't even know that Coach Tunnel knew who I was. I was an eighth grader who started on the Junior High (Cubs) team, sometimes, but it sure made me feel good knowing that the Leopard Head Coach had noticed. To me, Joe Tunnel was the Tom Landry (Dallas Cowboys coach) of High School football.
On November 16, 1970, after the regular football season ended, Lynn Garnand, The Oklahoman sports writer wrote:
Lindsay Ends In No. 1 Spot
As they have done all season long, Lindsay and Helena styand No. 1 in 2A and C, respectively, in The Daily Oklahoman's final high school football rankings of those classes. Both were pre-season favorites in their classes and both have swept aside all opposition with ease in strolling to unbeaten records during the regular season...
Lindsay, which will face eighth-ranked Wewoka in the quarterfinal playoffs this week, has scored more points than any team in the state with the exception of Helena, which has to be considered in another category because it competes in eight-man ball.
The Leopards have scored at least four touchdowns in every game, their closest "call" being a 28-6 decision over El Reno...
The week after playing Wewoka, The Daily Oklahoman sports headline read:
Lindsay Rolls Over Wewoka
WEWOKA -- Top-ranked Lindsay looked like it here Friday night, walloping Wewoka, 26-6, in the opening round of the state Class 2A high school football playoffs. You might say the home-standing Tigers were Terry-fied.
Senior halfback Mike Terry, running straight at the smaller Wewoka line, scored two touchdowns and rambled for 129 yards in 24 carries, easily tops in the contest. Terry, who weighs only 176, also set up the Leopards first two touchdowns with lengthy punt returns. He tallied the first touchdown himself.
Lindsay's defense had its terrifying points too. Led by Mark Loman, Scott Rose, Mike Flesher and Bud McGuire, the defenders kept Wewoka bottled up most of the night...
The Leopards, who ran their unbeaten streak to 11, made few mistakes, and stayed almost exclusively on the ground in handing Wewoka its fourth setback in 10 games. Both teams started cautiously before Lindsay found the right combination twice in the second quarter to lead, 13-0, at intermission. Terry raced 40 yards with a Wewoka punt near the end of the first quarter, setting Lindsay up in business on the Tiger 10. Terry scored three plays later from the three and McGuire's kick was perfect for a 7-0 Lindsay lead 11:56 before halftime.
The halfback speedster was at it again late in the quarter, running 17 yards with a Wewoka punt to the Tiger 34. The Leopards scored in seven plays, halfback Rose loping across from the 14.
Smith's touchdown gallup following a Lindsay fumble on its own 32 gave the partisan (Tiger) crowd of 3,400 a glimmer of hope at 13-6, with 7:15 left in the third period. But the Leopards, calling on a 29-yard pass play from quarterback Tony Cruse to Terry, marched 64 yards in 11 plays to take a 19-6 lead as the quarter ended. McGuire slanted four yards off left tackle for the touchdown and a two-point conversion attempt through the air failed.
Rose picked off a Wewoka pass and returned 22 yards to the Tiger 15 to set up the final Lindsay touchdown. The Leopards scored in four plays, Terry running up the middle from the three.
The state Class 2A semifinals pitted the Lindsay Leopards against the Watonga Eagles. On November 28, 1970, two days after the semi-final game, Gary Willis of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Controls Watonga
Lindsay -- Now unbeaten in 12 games, Lindsay's Leopards played ball control and took advantage of Watonga's keying on Mike Terry for a 22-6 Class 2A semifinal victory Friday night. Watonga's Eagles held Terry to 89 yards on 30 carries, but the strategy backfired as two other Leopards gained 80-plus yards each.
Lindsay ran 20 more plays from scrimmage than the Eagles did and the possessions played a major role in the victory that sends Lindsay into the state finals for their sixth shot at the title.
The first quarter was the big one for the Leopards. The Lindsay defense held Watonga to nine plays from scrimmage for no first downs while the Leopard offense scored once on Terry's five-yard dive at the end of a 13-play, 63-yard drive. Bud McGuire kicked the extra point with 6:21 left in the opening period. It was Lindsay's first possession of the game.
McGuire rushed for 45 yards on nine carries and the third member of the backfield, Johnny Branch, gained 88 yards on 10 carries. But Scott Rose, a junior halfback, added 83 yards in only five carries. Rose set up the final Lindsay touchdown on the first play of the third quarter.
It didn't look like Lindsay needed that third touchdown since quarterback Tony Cruse scored toward the end of the first half on a one-yard sneak. Cruse's touchdown came at the end of another 13-play drive, this one going 76 yards and ending with 1:19 left in the second stanza. But Rose seemed determined to get Lindsay into a comfortable position. After the opening kickoff for the second half, he dashed 57 yards and put the Leopards in business on the Eagle seven. It took McGuire seven yards on a power play to stop the clock at 11:08 and close out Lindsay's scoring.
Terry did just about everything in the game except rush for his customary 100 yards, but he caught the only pass that was completed, intercepted one pass and punted for position three times.He also fumbled on his own 25 and Bill Haley scooped up the ball and dashed into the end zone.
From that time on, Watonga worried some Lindsay lookers-on, but the Eagle threats were held off by a stingy Leopard defense.
It is about this time that my dad, who played for the Oklahoma A&M Aggies after graduating from Marlow, told me that Mike Terry is one of the best running backs he had ever seen. He had watched (not really, because he was now blind) Mike Terry play all season long, and it was his opinion that "Iron Mike" Terry was among the best. I believe that Mike Terry was given the nickname by the Golden Voice of the Golden Trend, Jerry Hinkle, who was the announcer for Leopard football home games.
Since this is my article, I'll share some more personal observations of the 1970 Lindsay Leopards.
One thing I did notice about the 1970 Lindsay Leopards is that most of them had beautiful girlfriends.
While I did not see the players with their girlfriends very often, I did know that players such as Mark Loman, Mike Terry, Billy Welsh and many others, could always "get along with the beautiful girls". But in the opinion of an eighth grader at Lindsay Junior High - all of the Lindsay High School girls were beautiful.
Lindsay beating Watonga in the state Class 2A semi-finals landed the Leopards in the championship game in Edmond at Central State University. I was very excited during the week leading up to the game, because my dad and mom were going to take Dana, Johnny and me to the game. I had attended all home games previous to the championship game, so this was the first game away from home that I would see. In my opinion, the 1970 Leopards rivaled the 1967 Clinton Red Tornadoes in talent. As a matter of fact, the 1967 Clinton Red Tornadoes, who was named the best high school football team in America, averaged 38.5 points per game while allowing 9.7 points per game during the regular season - while the 1970 Lindsay Leopards averaged 42.2 points per game offensively and allowed only 4.4.
Most, if not all, Lindsay Leopard fans know what happened on that cold December evening in 1970, and do not want to re-live it, but for those who do not know - The Daily Oklahoman reported on December 5, 1970:
Nowata Grabs First Crown
EDMOND -- Lindsay's season-long top ranking and its perfect 12-0 record went up in smoke Friday night, and when the smoke cleared Nowata had claimed its first state championship in the Class 2A finals. The Leopards built up a 12-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of two Nowata fumbles but the Ironmen fought back for a 14-12 victory which went right down to the end of the wire.
It was another great comeback for a Nowata team which started the season 0-2-1, but then streaked to 10 in a row and turned their No. 9 ranking into the 2A crown.
Mike Terry scored both Lindsay touchdowns, ending a 13 play 50-yard surge and a three-play, 30-yard foray on touchdowns of three and 20 yards. Bud McGuire, who at one time during the regular season kicked 33 consecutive extra points, missed on both occasions and in the first half on two medium range field goal tries.
It was Nowata's turn in the second half with 230-pound senior defensive tackle Justin Pugh recovering a fumble on Lindsay's 34. Five plays later the Ironmen had a first and goal at Lindsay's nine yard line. Tom Dennis burst through the line for three yards and Scott Rose tossed Rick Reid for a three yard loss. But Dee Paige hit Bruce Campbell in the end zone for Nowata's first tally. And the Ironmen, despite being on the low end of the statistical board, were right back in the thick of things when Ivan Walker booted the extra point.
That brought Nowata's defense to life with Pugh, Ken Griffin, and Campbell allowing Lindsay just two yards on its next possession and Mike Terry was able to get off only a 19-yard punt into a strong southerly wind. Paige hit Campbell again for nine yards to Lindsay's 42 and Dennis picked up four before Terry Henry tossed Walker for a two-yard loss. But Paige, a south-paw senior, spotted Rick Reid racing toward the end zone and completed a 40-yard toss.Walkers second boot made it 14-12 with 4:46 left in the third period.
Lindsay was to get in Nowata territory three more times, punting from the 43, losing a fumble at the 26 and missing a first down by one yard at the six with 1:23 remaining. That last march started on the 50 and after eight plays the Leopards had a first and 10 on Nowata's 14.
Terry, who bulled his way for 127 yards on 36 carries, picked up two and then three and, with 1:44 remaining, Lindsay called a time out. After time resumed Terry carried over right tackle for three more, setting up a fourth and two on the six, and another time out was called. Terry again hit the same spot but this time only got one yard and with 1:23 left Nowata had the football... and the rest is now history.
It was the most painful loss I had encountered in high school football, and still is to this day. It brought back memories of the December 31, 1967, "Ice Bowl" (the temperature was 11 degrees below zero) NFL Championship Game in which my beloved Dallas Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers, 21-17, on the game's last play. I actually crawled under my bed so no one would see me, and wept. While I did not cry after the Leopards were defeated by Nowata in 1970, I was still in somewhat of a shock as time expired. Lindsay had more first downs, 15 to 9, and more yards rushing, 204 to 96 for Nowata, but you know what they say about statistics. As a matter of fact, S.J. Foster, an assistant coach at the time, would say a few years later after Lindsay had defeated a rival in a similar fashion - "I'd rather be lucky than good." When Coach Foster made that statement in 1974 following a win over Purcell, I did not know he was probably referring to the 1970 Leopards, but I really don't know. Coach Foster was very prophetic.
While some arm-chair quarterbacks are good at second-guessing the play calling, I would have called it the same way as Coach Tunnel, as one should "dance with the one that brought you". My dad, however, said that if the Leopards had a good play-action pass - Quarterback Tony Cruse faking the blast to Terry, and hitting Billy Gibson streaking down the middle, they might have broken the defensive battle. Who really knows though.
Since I was personally familiar with some of the 1970 Leopards (I was not friends with any of them, except for maybe Billy Gibson, who would take me for occasional rides around the school in his car, getting me out of circling the school on foot. I felt like I was truly a "leopard", as my eighth grade friends watched from the front steps.) I thought I would share some things about where they are now. In my observations of the 1970 Leopards and even the Leopard teams prior to 1970, it was certainly true that "You gotta be a football hero to get along with the beautiful girls." In my mind, there has never been an exception to the rule.
I believe the 1970 Leopards may have been one of the top teams ever fielded by Lindsay, if not the No. 1 Leopard team of all time. We may only seed it fifth, however, because there are four state championship squads that will be seeded one through four in our 16-team playoff at the end of this series. The fifth seed will be playing a still undermined 12th seed in the first round. Since I believe the 1970 team was among the best, and since I personally know or knew of many players from that '70 squad, I thought it would be a good idea for our readers to know what many are doing today. While some weren't mentioned in the articles quoted above, what follows is a listing of some of these players, where they are today and what they did following high school:
Billy Gibson, wide receiver, was one of my closest high school friends from that 1970 Leopard football team. He signed with Panhandle State University to play football in 1971, and later worked in the oil and gas industry. Billy passed away in 2013 at the age of 60.
Larry Edzards, quarterback, graduated from the University of Oklahoma and entered the banking business after college.
Terry Henry, a great defensive end on the 1970 team, still lives in the Lindsay area.
Johnny Branch, fullback, signed with Northern Junior College in 1971 to play baseball. He excelled in three-sports while in high school including basketball. After finishing college at Central State University in Edmond, Johnny coached basketball for a few years (including Blanchard, where I now work). He then became a businessman in Lindsay, where he later served as mayor.
Danny Simonton, guard, married the former Eileen Barker and worked in the oilfields of north Texas for several years until retiring. Danny and Eileen (a Leopardette) own the Silver Orchid in Lindsay where they still live.
Bud McGuire, halfback, signed to play football at East Central University in Ada. He is now retired and living in Sulphur, Louisiana. I remember Bud's girlfriend while at Lindsay High School was the former Karen Cunningham, another Leopardette.
Danny Cunningham, offensive and defensive lineman, was listed on the 1970 Oklahoma Journal All-State team, and married Karen Troxell, a Leopardette beauty in my eighth-grade opinion.
Gary Cooper, center and defensive lineman, signed with Oklahoma State University in 1971 to play football, before finishing college at East Central University. Gary was one of those giant Leopard linemen to go on and play at the next level. He later retired from Fleming Foods and currently lives in Texas.
Mark Loman, standing 6'7" and weighing about 230, was another giant Leopard who excelled in both football and basketball. He was listed on the Oklahoma Journal All-State football team and on the Daily Oklahoman All-State basketball team. He married the former Tonya Hopkins (a Leopardette basketball All-Stater), and retired from the oil industry in the early 2000's. Sadly, Mark passed away in March, 2019, at the age of 66.
Mike Flesher, another Leopard football giant tackle, was listed on the South All-State team by the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He signed with the University of Arkansas to play football in 1971. Mike suffered a career-ending injury in a scrimmage that year and worked at Michelin Manufacturing in Ardmore until retiring.
Billy Welsh, running back, became a very talented musician after high school, as he belonged to several bands with many friends. Billy was voted "Best Looking" by his high school class mates during his senior year along with Kathy Cornforth. Billy tragically died in an auto accident in May, 2014, when returning from work at Chickasha. He was only 61.
Mike Terry, tailback, was listed in both the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World All-State teams in 1971 and signed to play football for OSU. Mike later signed as a free agent to play for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. He married the former Mitzi Baker, a Leopardette basketball All-Stater, and coached high school football for 36 years until retiring a few years ago. Mike was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame in 2011.
Another little known fact about Mike Terry is that he is the first cousin to Roy Bash, Iowa quarterback during the early 1970's. An article in The New York Times on November 22, 1970 detailed: Roy Bash, a quarterback who riddled the Illini secondary for 159 yards, scored two touchdowns on 1-yard plunges. He passed 5 yards to Kerry Reardon for a third. Bash, who completed 11 of 13 passes, also set up his touchdown pass to Reardon in the second quarter with a 64-yard pass play that carried Iowa from its 30 to the Illinois 6-yard line...
It's no small wonder that Mike Terry had so much talent, as it ran in the family. I was an eighth grader in 1970 and wanted to be like "Iron Mike" Terry when I got to high school. I was only dreaming, however, because not many could be the kind of football player Mike Terry was.
The juniors from the 1970 Leopards:
Kyle Lackey,linebacker, made the 1971 South All-State team and signed to play football at OSU in 1972, as he was only a junior on that 1970 team. He married the former L'Ann Tate and finished his football career at Northeastern Oklahoma State University. Kyle worked in the oil industry and even officiated high school football games for many years (and still does, I believe). He and L'Ann currently live at Lake Arbuckle. I heard a story about Kyle Lackey while he was at OSU and I was a junior at LHS - It seems that Kyle, while on the freshmen team for the Cowboys in 1972, was holding a blocking dummy at defensive end for the OSU offensive starters. The Cowboy offense was practicing the option play, in which the quarterback would sprint down the line with the ball, and option the defensive end by either pitching the ball to a trailing running back, or keeping the ball. The defensive end's job was to always hit the quarterback, whether he pitched it or not. Kyle Lackey, with the blocking dummy, was supposed to only feign a hit with the dummy, so the starting quarterback, played by Brent Blackman (I believe) would not be injured. After several times of running and rerunning the play, Kyle Lackey began to be a little frustrated at seeing the quarterback just run free, without being truly hit. As the Cowboy offense began to run the play for the fourth or fifth time, Kyle suddenly tossed the blocking dummy out of harms way - and planted Brent Blackman in the turf. He did this so that the quarterback had plenty of time to see the dummy being tossed aside and perhaps pitch the ball instead of keeping it. In the opinion of many onlookers, the quarterback got what he deserved.
Kyle Lackey was maybe the most intense Leopard ever, as a linebacker, so it's no wonder the coaching staff referred to Kyle as "Mad Dog" Lackey.
Doug Baker, defensive end, attended college at Central State University in Edmond, majoring in business. He married the former Billie Lynch, another Leopardette beauty, and continue to live in Edmond.
Tony Cruse, quarterback, signed to play football at Central State University and later entered medical school and became an orthopedic surgeon. Tony was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame for his contributions to high school sports in Oklahoma.
Brent Clements, offensive and defensive line, signed with Southern Methodist University to play football in 1972, and finished at East Central University in Ada, majoring in education administration. He married the former Donna Edwards of Lindsay, another Leopardette. Brent later became a school administrator and retired after many years.
Scott Rose, tailback, attended Central State University (now UCO) and now works at McBride Bone and Joint Medical Center in OKC. Scott was one more in a long line of great Lindsay tailbacks, both before and after Mike Terry.
Randy Noe, quarterback, graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1976, and continued to live in the Norman area for many years. Randy's claim to fame for the 1970 football Leopards was, in fact, during the Leopard basketball season - At the end of the pre-game warm ups, the basketball team would line up in a football formation with Randy Noe playing quarterback. Randy would take the snap from center, and hit Mark Loman (the split end) with a pass above the rim. Mark would simply drop the basketball in, not dunking, as it was against the rules to dunk the basketball back then. Randy died in his sleep on January 21, 2012, at the age of 58.
While these are not the only 1970 Leopard Legends from that team, these are the ones I know about. If anyone can provide more information on any of the juniors and seniors not listed, please pm me with your comments.
The Lindsay Leopards began the 1970 season by shutting out Purcell, 34-0; Yukon, 30-0; and Crooked Oak, 47-0, before facing Marlow (an old rival) in the fourth game of the year.
On September 26, 1970, a few days after Lindsay beat Crooked Oak, an article in The Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Fells Crooked Oak
Lindsay's Mike Terry carried the ball four times for 128 yards and three touchdowns to trigger the Leopards to a 47-0 trouncing of Crooked Oak Friday night. Terry darted 56 and 47 yards to touchdowns in the opening quarter and eight yards to a second-quarter tally. Bud McGuire ran 13 yards to another first-period touchdown and Billy Welsh scored on a four-yard run in the second stanza as the Leopards slashed to a 34-0 advantage at halftime.
Johnny Branch ran 31 and seven yards to touchdowns in the third period for the final reading and Lindsay's alternate unit played the entire fourth quarter. Crooked Oak could get no closer than the Lindsay 40.
I was an eighth grade student during the 1970 Leopard season at Lindsay Junior High, and three things were very clear after that third game:
1) The Leopards had a very fast and elusive tailback, Mike Terry, which was different than the big and strong, but not necessarily speedy tailbacks from previous years. This added a dimension to the Leopards which they had not previously enjoyed.
2) As evidenced from the article above, Joe Tunnel had also begun to spread out the ball-carrying chores, with several runners shouldering the load. This dimension was also different from seasons past in which one tailback may carry 25 to 35 times in a game.
3) The Leopards evidently had a smothering defense, as they had shut-out their first three opponents by a combined score of 111-0.
The 1970 Lindsay Leopards were to play Marlow for the fourth game. The coaching staff for Lindsay now included Head Coach Joe Tunnel, and assistants S.J. Foster, H.O. Estes (from the 1955 and 1958 championship teams), Charley Heatly (famed Leopardette basketball coach which had won the 1968 state title) and R.V. Hayden, who would also win the 1973 Class 2A baseball championship. (It was unclear what the assistants' first name initials stood for, so students and players were free to guess.)
Lindsay Junior High students did not see many of the High School students very often, if ever, since the Junior High hallway ran east and west on the south side of the the School, while the High School hallway ran parallel on the north side. Junior High students were forbidden from entering the High School hallway unless having a class close by. The rare glimpse of one of my Leopard heroes or one of the High School Leopardettes was something I remembered.
Before playing Marlow in the season's fourth game, Tony Henson (my cousin and Leopard underclassman) told me that Coach Foster had told the team that Marlow would probably end their shut-out streak at three. It was a motivational technique often employed by coaches. Lindsay wound up beating Marlow, 35-0, for their fourth consecutive shut-out. The Leopards then beat Dunjee (which consolidated with Star Spencer a few years later), 57-6; Comanche, 49-12; El Reno, 28-6; Western Heights, 43-6; Pauls Valley, 43-14, and Wynnewood, 56-0, to finish the regular season with 10 wins and no losses. They had compiled 422 points (six touchdowns per game) while holding the opposition to only 44 during the entire regular season, and were to play Wewoka in the state Class 2A Quarterfinals. I had attended every "home" game that year and several "away" games. My closest encounter with Coach Joe Tunnel during my eighth grade year, was when I was walking down the north-south hallway during lunch hour. To pass time after eating lunch we (junior high students) could walk circles down the hall from south to north, exiting on the north end (where we may see a High School Leopard or Leopardette), turn left and walk back to the south end of the school to complete the endless circle, until the bell rang, signaling the start of fourth period. Coach Tunnel was on hall duty one day, and as I passed him with one of my friends (not a girl, LOL) - he said "Hey! I see that you caught a touchdown pass last night!" I didn't even know that Coach Tunnel knew who I was. I was an eighth grader who started on the Junior High (Cubs) team, sometimes, but it sure made me feel good knowing that the Leopard Head Coach had noticed. To me, Joe Tunnel was the Tom Landry (Dallas Cowboys coach) of High School football.
On November 16, 1970, after the regular football season ended, Lynn Garnand, The Oklahoman sports writer wrote:
Lindsay Ends In No. 1 Spot
As they have done all season long, Lindsay and Helena styand No. 1 in 2A and C, respectively, in The Daily Oklahoman's final high school football rankings of those classes. Both were pre-season favorites in their classes and both have swept aside all opposition with ease in strolling to unbeaten records during the regular season...
Lindsay, which will face eighth-ranked Wewoka in the quarterfinal playoffs this week, has scored more points than any team in the state with the exception of Helena, which has to be considered in another category because it competes in eight-man ball.
The Leopards have scored at least four touchdowns in every game, their closest "call" being a 28-6 decision over El Reno...
The week after playing Wewoka, The Daily Oklahoman sports headline read:
Lindsay Rolls Over Wewoka
WEWOKA -- Top-ranked Lindsay looked like it here Friday night, walloping Wewoka, 26-6, in the opening round of the state Class 2A high school football playoffs. You might say the home-standing Tigers were Terry-fied.
Senior halfback Mike Terry, running straight at the smaller Wewoka line, scored two touchdowns and rambled for 129 yards in 24 carries, easily tops in the contest. Terry, who weighs only 176, also set up the Leopards first two touchdowns with lengthy punt returns. He tallied the first touchdown himself.
Lindsay's defense had its terrifying points too. Led by Mark Loman, Scott Rose, Mike Flesher and Bud McGuire, the defenders kept Wewoka bottled up most of the night...
The Leopards, who ran their unbeaten streak to 11, made few mistakes, and stayed almost exclusively on the ground in handing Wewoka its fourth setback in 10 games. Both teams started cautiously before Lindsay found the right combination twice in the second quarter to lead, 13-0, at intermission. Terry raced 40 yards with a Wewoka punt near the end of the first quarter, setting Lindsay up in business on the Tiger 10. Terry scored three plays later from the three and McGuire's kick was perfect for a 7-0 Lindsay lead 11:56 before halftime.
The halfback speedster was at it again late in the quarter, running 17 yards with a Wewoka punt to the Tiger 34. The Leopards scored in seven plays, halfback Rose loping across from the 14.
Smith's touchdown gallup following a Lindsay fumble on its own 32 gave the partisan (Tiger) crowd of 3,400 a glimmer of hope at 13-6, with 7:15 left in the third period. But the Leopards, calling on a 29-yard pass play from quarterback Tony Cruse to Terry, marched 64 yards in 11 plays to take a 19-6 lead as the quarter ended. McGuire slanted four yards off left tackle for the touchdown and a two-point conversion attempt through the air failed.
Rose picked off a Wewoka pass and returned 22 yards to the Tiger 15 to set up the final Lindsay touchdown. The Leopards scored in four plays, Terry running up the middle from the three.
The state Class 2A semifinals pitted the Lindsay Leopards against the Watonga Eagles. On November 28, 1970, two days after the semi-final game, Gary Willis of The Daily Oklahoman reported:
Lindsay Controls Watonga
Lindsay -- Now unbeaten in 12 games, Lindsay's Leopards played ball control and took advantage of Watonga's keying on Mike Terry for a 22-6 Class 2A semifinal victory Friday night. Watonga's Eagles held Terry to 89 yards on 30 carries, but the strategy backfired as two other Leopards gained 80-plus yards each.
Lindsay ran 20 more plays from scrimmage than the Eagles did and the possessions played a major role in the victory that sends Lindsay into the state finals for their sixth shot at the title.
The first quarter was the big one for the Leopards. The Lindsay defense held Watonga to nine plays from scrimmage for no first downs while the Leopard offense scored once on Terry's five-yard dive at the end of a 13-play, 63-yard drive. Bud McGuire kicked the extra point with 6:21 left in the opening period. It was Lindsay's first possession of the game.
McGuire rushed for 45 yards on nine carries and the third member of the backfield, Johnny Branch, gained 88 yards on 10 carries. But Scott Rose, a junior halfback, added 83 yards in only five carries. Rose set up the final Lindsay touchdown on the first play of the third quarter.
It didn't look like Lindsay needed that third touchdown since quarterback Tony Cruse scored toward the end of the first half on a one-yard sneak. Cruse's touchdown came at the end of another 13-play drive, this one going 76 yards and ending with 1:19 left in the second stanza. But Rose seemed determined to get Lindsay into a comfortable position. After the opening kickoff for the second half, he dashed 57 yards and put the Leopards in business on the Eagle seven. It took McGuire seven yards on a power play to stop the clock at 11:08 and close out Lindsay's scoring.
Terry did just about everything in the game except rush for his customary 100 yards, but he caught the only pass that was completed, intercepted one pass and punted for position three times.He also fumbled on his own 25 and Bill Haley scooped up the ball and dashed into the end zone.
From that time on, Watonga worried some Lindsay lookers-on, but the Eagle threats were held off by a stingy Leopard defense.
It is about this time that my dad, who played for the Oklahoma A&M Aggies after graduating from Marlow, told me that Mike Terry is one of the best running backs he had ever seen. He had watched (not really, because he was now blind) Mike Terry play all season long, and it was his opinion that "Iron Mike" Terry was among the best. I believe that Mike Terry was given the nickname by the Golden Voice of the Golden Trend, Jerry Hinkle, who was the announcer for Leopard football home games.
Since this is my article, I'll share some more personal observations of the 1970 Lindsay Leopards.
One thing I did notice about the 1970 Lindsay Leopards is that most of them had beautiful girlfriends.
While I did not see the players with their girlfriends very often, I did know that players such as Mark Loman, Mike Terry, Billy Welsh and many others, could always "get along with the beautiful girls". But in the opinion of an eighth grader at Lindsay Junior High - all of the Lindsay High School girls were beautiful.
Lindsay beating Watonga in the state Class 2A semi-finals landed the Leopards in the championship game in Edmond at Central State University. I was very excited during the week leading up to the game, because my dad and mom were going to take Dana, Johnny and me to the game. I had attended all home games previous to the championship game, so this was the first game away from home that I would see. In my opinion, the 1970 Leopards rivaled the 1967 Clinton Red Tornadoes in talent. As a matter of fact, the 1967 Clinton Red Tornadoes, who was named the best high school football team in America, averaged 38.5 points per game while allowing 9.7 points per game during the regular season - while the 1970 Lindsay Leopards averaged 42.2 points per game offensively and allowed only 4.4.
Most, if not all, Lindsay Leopard fans know what happened on that cold December evening in 1970, and do not want to re-live it, but for those who do not know - The Daily Oklahoman reported on December 5, 1970:
Nowata Grabs First Crown
EDMOND -- Lindsay's season-long top ranking and its perfect 12-0 record went up in smoke Friday night, and when the smoke cleared Nowata had claimed its first state championship in the Class 2A finals. The Leopards built up a 12-0 lead in the first quarter with the help of two Nowata fumbles but the Ironmen fought back for a 14-12 victory which went right down to the end of the wire.
It was another great comeback for a Nowata team which started the season 0-2-1, but then streaked to 10 in a row and turned their No. 9 ranking into the 2A crown.
Mike Terry scored both Lindsay touchdowns, ending a 13 play 50-yard surge and a three-play, 30-yard foray on touchdowns of three and 20 yards. Bud McGuire, who at one time during the regular season kicked 33 consecutive extra points, missed on both occasions and in the first half on two medium range field goal tries.
It was Nowata's turn in the second half with 230-pound senior defensive tackle Justin Pugh recovering a fumble on Lindsay's 34. Five plays later the Ironmen had a first and goal at Lindsay's nine yard line. Tom Dennis burst through the line for three yards and Scott Rose tossed Rick Reid for a three yard loss. But Dee Paige hit Bruce Campbell in the end zone for Nowata's first tally. And the Ironmen, despite being on the low end of the statistical board, were right back in the thick of things when Ivan Walker booted the extra point.
That brought Nowata's defense to life with Pugh, Ken Griffin, and Campbell allowing Lindsay just two yards on its next possession and Mike Terry was able to get off only a 19-yard punt into a strong southerly wind. Paige hit Campbell again for nine yards to Lindsay's 42 and Dennis picked up four before Terry Henry tossed Walker for a two-yard loss. But Paige, a south-paw senior, spotted Rick Reid racing toward the end zone and completed a 40-yard toss.Walkers second boot made it 14-12 with 4:46 left in the third period.
Lindsay was to get in Nowata territory three more times, punting from the 43, losing a fumble at the 26 and missing a first down by one yard at the six with 1:23 remaining. That last march started on the 50 and after eight plays the Leopards had a first and 10 on Nowata's 14.
Terry, who bulled his way for 127 yards on 36 carries, picked up two and then three and, with 1:44 remaining, Lindsay called a time out. After time resumed Terry carried over right tackle for three more, setting up a fourth and two on the six, and another time out was called. Terry again hit the same spot but this time only got one yard and with 1:23 left Nowata had the football... and the rest is now history.
It was the most painful loss I had encountered in high school football, and still is to this day. It brought back memories of the December 31, 1967, "Ice Bowl" (the temperature was 11 degrees below zero) NFL Championship Game in which my beloved Dallas Cowboys lost to the Green Bay Packers, 21-17, on the game's last play. I actually crawled under my bed so no one would see me, and wept. While I did not cry after the Leopards were defeated by Nowata in 1970, I was still in somewhat of a shock as time expired. Lindsay had more first downs, 15 to 9, and more yards rushing, 204 to 96 for Nowata, but you know what they say about statistics. As a matter of fact, S.J. Foster, an assistant coach at the time, would say a few years later after Lindsay had defeated a rival in a similar fashion - "I'd rather be lucky than good." When Coach Foster made that statement in 1974 following a win over Purcell, I did not know he was probably referring to the 1970 Leopards, but I really don't know. Coach Foster was very prophetic.
While some arm-chair quarterbacks are good at second-guessing the play calling, I would have called it the same way as Coach Tunnel, as one should "dance with the one that brought you". My dad, however, said that if the Leopards had a good play-action pass - Quarterback Tony Cruse faking the blast to Terry, and hitting Billy Gibson streaking down the middle, they might have broken the defensive battle. Who really knows though.
Since I was personally familiar with some of the 1970 Leopards (I was not friends with any of them, except for maybe Billy Gibson, who would take me for occasional rides around the school in his car, getting me out of circling the school on foot. I felt like I was truly a "leopard", as my eighth grade friends watched from the front steps.) I thought I would share some things about where they are now. In my observations of the 1970 Leopards and even the Leopard teams prior to 1970, it was certainly true that "You gotta be a football hero to get along with the beautiful girls." In my mind, there has never been an exception to the rule.
I believe the 1970 Leopards may have been one of the top teams ever fielded by Lindsay, if not the No. 1 Leopard team of all time. We may only seed it fifth, however, because there are four state championship squads that will be seeded one through four in our 16-team playoff at the end of this series. The fifth seed will be playing a still undermined 12th seed in the first round. Since I believe the 1970 team was among the best, and since I personally know or knew of many players from that '70 squad, I thought it would be a good idea for our readers to know what many are doing today. While some weren't mentioned in the articles quoted above, what follows is a listing of some of these players, where they are today and what they did following high school:
Billy Gibson, wide receiver, was one of my closest high school friends from that 1970 Leopard football team. He signed with Panhandle State University to play football in 1971, and later worked in the oil and gas industry. Billy passed away in 2013 at the age of 60.
Larry Edzards, quarterback, graduated from the University of Oklahoma and entered the banking business after college.
Terry Henry, a great defensive end on the 1970 team, still lives in the Lindsay area.
Johnny Branch, fullback, signed with Northern Junior College in 1971 to play baseball. He excelled in three-sports while in high school including basketball. After finishing college at Central State University in Edmond, Johnny coached basketball for a few years (including Blanchard, where I now work). He then became a businessman in Lindsay, where he later served as mayor.
Danny Simonton, guard, married the former Eileen Barker and worked in the oilfields of north Texas for several years until retiring. Danny and Eileen (a Leopardette) own the Silver Orchid in Lindsay where they still live.
Bud McGuire, halfback, signed to play football at East Central University in Ada. He is now retired and living in Sulphur, Louisiana. I remember Bud's girlfriend while at Lindsay High School was the former Karen Cunningham, another Leopardette.
Danny Cunningham, offensive and defensive lineman, was listed on the 1970 Oklahoma Journal All-State team, and married Karen Troxell, a Leopardette beauty in my eighth-grade opinion.
Gary Cooper, center and defensive lineman, signed with Oklahoma State University in 1971 to play football, before finishing college at East Central University. Gary was one of those giant Leopard linemen to go on and play at the next level. He later retired from Fleming Foods and currently lives in Texas.
Mark Loman, standing 6'7" and weighing about 230, was another giant Leopard who excelled in both football and basketball. He was listed on the Oklahoma Journal All-State football team and on the Daily Oklahoman All-State basketball team. He married the former Tonya Hopkins (a Leopardette basketball All-Stater), and retired from the oil industry in the early 2000's. Sadly, Mark passed away in March, 2019, at the age of 66.
Mike Flesher, another Leopard football giant tackle, was listed on the South All-State team by the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World. He signed with the University of Arkansas to play football in 1971. Mike suffered a career-ending injury in a scrimmage that year and worked at Michelin Manufacturing in Ardmore until retiring.
Billy Welsh, running back, became a very talented musician after high school, as he belonged to several bands with many friends. Billy was voted "Best Looking" by his high school class mates during his senior year along with Kathy Cornforth. Billy tragically died in an auto accident in May, 2014, when returning from work at Chickasha. He was only 61.
Mike Terry, tailback, was listed in both the Daily Oklahoman and Tulsa World All-State teams in 1971 and signed to play football for OSU. Mike later signed as a free agent to play for the Denver Broncos of the NFL. He married the former Mitzi Baker, a Leopardette basketball All-Stater, and coached high school football for 36 years until retiring a few years ago. Mike was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame in 2011.
Another little known fact about Mike Terry is that he is the first cousin to Roy Bash, Iowa quarterback during the early 1970's. An article in The New York Times on November 22, 1970 detailed: Roy Bash, a quarterback who riddled the Illini secondary for 159 yards, scored two touchdowns on 1-yard plunges. He passed 5 yards to Kerry Reardon for a third. Bash, who completed 11 of 13 passes, also set up his touchdown pass to Reardon in the second quarter with a 64-yard pass play that carried Iowa from its 30 to the Illinois 6-yard line...
It's no small wonder that Mike Terry had so much talent, as it ran in the family. I was an eighth grader in 1970 and wanted to be like "Iron Mike" Terry when I got to high school. I was only dreaming, however, because not many could be the kind of football player Mike Terry was.
The juniors from the 1970 Leopards:
Kyle Lackey,linebacker, made the 1971 South All-State team and signed to play football at OSU in 1972, as he was only a junior on that 1970 team. He married the former L'Ann Tate and finished his football career at Northeastern Oklahoma State University. Kyle worked in the oil industry and even officiated high school football games for many years (and still does, I believe). He and L'Ann currently live at Lake Arbuckle. I heard a story about Kyle Lackey while he was at OSU and I was a junior at LHS - It seems that Kyle, while on the freshmen team for the Cowboys in 1972, was holding a blocking dummy at defensive end for the OSU offensive starters. The Cowboy offense was practicing the option play, in which the quarterback would sprint down the line with the ball, and option the defensive end by either pitching the ball to a trailing running back, or keeping the ball. The defensive end's job was to always hit the quarterback, whether he pitched it or not. Kyle Lackey, with the blocking dummy, was supposed to only feign a hit with the dummy, so the starting quarterback, played by Brent Blackman (I believe) would not be injured. After several times of running and rerunning the play, Kyle Lackey began to be a little frustrated at seeing the quarterback just run free, without being truly hit. As the Cowboy offense began to run the play for the fourth or fifth time, Kyle suddenly tossed the blocking dummy out of harms way - and planted Brent Blackman in the turf. He did this so that the quarterback had plenty of time to see the dummy being tossed aside and perhaps pitch the ball instead of keeping it. In the opinion of many onlookers, the quarterback got what he deserved.
Kyle Lackey was maybe the most intense Leopard ever, as a linebacker, so it's no wonder the coaching staff referred to Kyle as "Mad Dog" Lackey.
Doug Baker, defensive end, attended college at Central State University in Edmond, majoring in business. He married the former Billie Lynch, another Leopardette beauty, and continue to live in Edmond.
Tony Cruse, quarterback, signed to play football at Central State University and later entered medical school and became an orthopedic surgeon. Tony was inducted into the Oklahoma Coaches Hall of Fame for his contributions to high school sports in Oklahoma.
Brent Clements, offensive and defensive line, signed with Southern Methodist University to play football in 1972, and finished at East Central University in Ada, majoring in education administration. He married the former Donna Edwards of Lindsay, another Leopardette. Brent later became a school administrator and retired after many years.
Scott Rose, tailback, attended Central State University (now UCO) and now works at McBride Bone and Joint Medical Center in OKC. Scott was one more in a long line of great Lindsay tailbacks, both before and after Mike Terry.
Randy Noe, quarterback, graduated from the University of Oklahoma in 1976, and continued to live in the Norman area for many years. Randy's claim to fame for the 1970 football Leopards was, in fact, during the Leopard basketball season - At the end of the pre-game warm ups, the basketball team would line up in a football formation with Randy Noe playing quarterback. Randy would take the snap from center, and hit Mark Loman (the split end) with a pass above the rim. Mark would simply drop the basketball in, not dunking, as it was against the rules to dunk the basketball back then. Randy died in his sleep on January 21, 2012, at the age of 58.
While these are not the only 1970 Leopard Legends from that team, these are the ones I know about. If anyone can provide more information on any of the juniors and seniors not listed, please pm me with your comments.
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