The 1968 Cabool High School football team that won a state championship is among the announced inductees into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame.
The class, which is headlined by former St. Louis Rams head coach Mike Martz, also includes the Thayer High School football program. Its the recipient of the inaugural
Friday Night Lights Trophy “as its successful teams and community support have greatly enhanced the sport in the state.”
Cabool was one of the state’s inaugural football champions – and the first from southwest Missouri – when the Missouri State High School Activities Association implemented a playoff system. The Bulldogs beat Seneca 6-0 on quarterback Randy Rees’ touchdown run to win the title.
The team, coached by Art Seals, began the season with a 20-6 victory against Greenwood and then its lone loss, 6-0 to Salem. The Bulldogs never lost again, beating West Plains (13-7), Mountain View (46-0), Ava (21-0), Willow Springs (14-12), Houston (28-14), Thayer (39-0) and Mountain Grove (12-6) in the regular season and South Shelby 14-13 in the state semifinals.
The offense featured a line of center Mike Hood, guards Jim Beller and Chris Dale, tackles Dennis Faler and Ron Altis, ends Bill Burns and Jim Kissock, fullback David Rust and running backs Bob White, Gene Roberts, Basil Quesenberry and Terry McCall. The defense was led by linebackers Quesenberry, Jim Beller, David Rust and Leon Boyce, and nose guard Jim Meiser, with Altis, Larry Thompson and Bill White at tackles, while McCall and Rees were defensive backs, with Raymond Steely and Kissock at defensive end, and Jim Stark and Gene Roberts also in the mix. The punter was Dennis Carroll.
Other team members included Johnny Williams, Danny Christeeson, Leon Curry, Gary Jesse, Mike Honeycutt, Ronnie Benett, David Quesenberry, Gary Cooper, Lonnie Greuter, Tommy Whittaker, Bill Perry, Garry McCall, Don Beller, Earl Baker, Don Cooper, Everett Beller, John Frisbee, Jerry Hood, Floyd Graham, Terry Kile, Dennis Carroll, Roger Carmichael, Brad Steely, Jim Dixon, Jeff Mitchem and Kirby Kile. Assistants were Bill Hoover, Rich Hood and Ed Northrup along with managers Bob Unger, Mike Cox and Paul Wade.
Its BOB UNGER not uncer
If you were at the game Bear Thompson sure saved the day pretty close to the end of the game with a certain tackle. We were a couple of 8th graders who went with my friends parents and I remember having Faith In Jesus when it looked like the bulldogs might not win at one point. Our team that year was one of a kind for sure and a pleasure and joy to watch.
I remember this well. My brother Gene Roberts was 5 years older and our Dad and I never missed a game. When they all met at our house on Saturday during the summers before their senior year to play some off season ball, I got to be the center – my job was to “hike and fall” they ended up bringing me a bulldog football uniform to wear. Those boys played football together – all their lives. They deserve this.