Travels to Waseca

Five Bluejay football players were named to the South Central Conference All-Conference football team: seniors Jimmy Loonan, linebacker/running back; Andrew Beckmann, offensive/defensive lineman; Cavit Wobschall, offensive/defensive lineman; and Levi Fossen, quarterback/defensive back. Senior Josh Conrath, offensive/defensive lineman, was named to the honorable mention team.

Waseca High School MVPs for the Fall 2007 season are Brandon Kingston, cross country; Jimmy Loonan, football; Richie Gullickson, soccer; Stephanie Possehl, cheerleading; Ashley Wobschall, swimming; Allison Streich, cross country; Brianna Nelson, volleyball; Brianna Miller, soccer; and Bayli Nelson, tennis.

The passing of Russ Clayton this week reminds me of why homecoming and reunions are important – we never know if we’re going to be able to make it to the next one and there are people we’d like to see again.

The Waseca High School class of 1957 is holding their 50th reunion this weekend in conjunction with homecoming. There are plans to honor the 1957 football team at halftime of the homecoming game with St. Peter. I understand it’s a rather new tradition to invite the class of 50 years ago to be honored during homecoming. I think it’s a good tradition, and I hope they take a little time to remember Russ.

Waseca High School’s homecoming queen and king candidates have been announced.

Queen candidates this year are

• Chelsea Barr, daughter of Leslie Ahlers
• Taylor Froehle, daughter of Curt and Marlys Froehle
• Lacy Johnson, daughter of Bruce and Lynette Johnson
• Beth LeCocq, daughter of Amy and Jim LeCocq
• Bayli Nelson, daughter of Blain and Jody Nelson
•Tenille Nelson, daughter of Blair and Deanne Nelson
• Mindy Sommers, daughter of Mark and Becky Sommers

King candidates are

• Zanik Bartelt, son of Lyle and Pam Vaughan
• Andrew Beckmann, son of Scott and Diane Beckmann
• Kevin Britton, son of Paul and Denise Britton
• Grady Glynn, son of Joe and Cathie Glynn
• Richie Gullickson, son of Sam and Beckie Gullickson
• Jimmy Loonan, son of Tim and Dorothy Loonan
• Ethan Schultz, son of Merril and Mary Schultz

Sixty-eight year old Ron Clayton who graduated from Waseca High School in 1957 and who summers in Waseca won the Minnesota Senior Amateur Championships played at the Alexandria Country Club over Labor Day weekend.

  Dale Kugath (WHS 1967) and Steve Anderson (WHS 1978) are starting a new sports publication for Waseca area high schools (WEM, JWP, NRHEG, and Waseca). The publication is called ‘The Sports Scoop’ and its inaugural edition is scheduled for next Thursday, August 30th. Check it out at The Sports Scoop.

Chuck Lucas
http://www.wasecaalums.com/

Did you ever wonder why Waseca High School sports teams are called the “Blue Jays?” According to a ‘Letter to the Editor’ submitted by Gus Cooper and published in the May 24, 2007, issue of the Waseca County News, Cooper began calling the Waseca sports teams the Blue Jays in 1935 when he was a young reporter for The Waseca Journal (he mentioned he began his journalism career 75 years ago at age 12). He said he thought the feisty bird was a good symbol for teams representing a small town.

Cooper graduated from Waseca Central High School with the class of 1936. He attended their 50th reunion in 1986 but says he has lost track of the 45 then living classmates since then. He would love to hear from any who live on today.

F. L. Gus Cooper lives at 700 Mease Plaza #921, Dunedin, FL 34698.

When I was putting together a recent Looking Back at Waseca Sports History Waseca Alums site feature, I noted that Warren ‘Chick’ Gray had been the manager of the Waseca Chicks baseball team before he managed the Waseca Braves baseball team in the 1950s. Do you know the history of the Waseca Chicks baseball team? I assume the team’s name was the origin of Warren’s nickname. Am I right?

  Waseca Baseball Club, baseball team and bat boy, posed after a game, lined up on a bench; (front row) Bob Kujath (bat boy); (on the bench) unknown, Roy “Red” Myers, Herb Sponberg, Warren “Chick” Gray, unknown, Immanual Mueller, Albert Groebner, Bob Gray, R.G.”Happy” Lowe, George Johnson, Clem Bauman, Ed Fiebiger; (standing) Don Herbst.

   Waseca Baseball Club; posing outside L-R: (front row) Clem Bauman, Immanuel Mueller, R. G.”Happy” Lowe, Al Bell, Jim McDermott, Albert “Allie” Groebner, Emil Scheid; (back row) Don Herbst, unknown, Ed “Fat” Fiebiger, George Johnson, Herb “Ike” Sponberg, Bob Gray, Warren “Chick” Gray, Jack Connelly, Helder Munson.

The photos of Waseca’s 1938 and 1939 baseball teams are courtesy of the Waseca County Historical Society. What were the names of the teams in these years?

I have a Google Alert set for “Waseca.” Today I got a Google Alert for a Albert Lea Tribune article that mentions Waseca’s 1918 state basketball championship. The article recounts how, in 1919, Albert Lea beat the Waseca team twice and went on to become state champions that year.

“About the time World War I was ending in the late fall of 1918, the Albert Lea team started off its season with an impressive 69-14 win over the Osage, Iowa, basketball team.

The next two games were with Waseca and won with scores of 16-11 and 19-11. These were significant victories because Waseca had won the 1918 tournament and was considered to be the top basketball team in the state.”