July 10, 2003

by Butch Kamena

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - It has had its ups and downs, even some moments where the future of the program itself was in doubt. But for every dark moment, there have been many more when the ship of Viking football has ridden the crest of the wave of success.

Western football started a century ago thanks to the inspired efforts of one student. L.A. Kibbe, one of just 37 males of the roughly 400 students attending what in 1903 was known as Bellingham State Normal School, who convinced the institution to have a team.

The first game was a 6-5 loss to New Whatcom High School, the first victory, and the only other game of the 1903 season, a 12-0 triumph over Everett High School. The first recorded contest with another collegiate institution was a 24-0 victory over Puget Sound in 1907. Football at Western got a big boost in 1912, when Sam Carver began playing. Two years later, Carver became coach, a position he held for most of the next 18 years, and began nearly a half-century of leadership in the athletic department during which the "Father of Western Athletics" coached half-a-dozen sports.

In 1938, the Vikings went 7-0, posting the only undefeated, untied season in school history. Coach Charles Lappenbusch was just beginning to implement his "straight-line" system, but he found other innovations, throwing 12-to-15 times a game in an era when the pass was often viewed as a sign of desperation. Lappy's troops had another great season in 1951, going 8-1 behind a stellar defense and the running of All-America fullback Norm Hash, but it was a last shout of greatness, as the Vikings won more than five games in a season just once (going 6-2 in 1958) until 1971.

That 1971 squad coached by Boyde Long went 7-3 and swept through six Evergreen Conference games undefeated, claiming Western's only outright conference championship in 37 years of Evco membership. They followed it up with another 7-3 mark and an NAIA District 1 championship in 1976, as freshman running back Pat Locker ran for 1,340 yards on his way to becoming the first back in Northwest small-college history to reach 4,000 yards in career rushing and eventually being named Western football Player of the Century.

The finest era in school history began when Rob Smith became head coach in 1989 and it continues to this day. The Vikings made four NAIA playoff appearances in five years, capped by reaching the national championship game in 1996. The 1996 team went 11-2, with wide receiver Chris Nicholl and placekicker Wade Gebers earning first-team All-America honors. Nicholl had the finest receiving season in school history, catching 82 passes for 1,584 yards and 12 touchdowns. Smith is now the winningest coach in school history with 95 victories.

A big change for the Vikings came in 1998, when decades of membership in the NAIA ended with a move to NCAA Division II. But Western made the transition well, reaching post-season play in 1999 behind the play of quarterback Scott Mitchell, who in 2001 was one of nine finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy given to the top player in NCAA II; and safety Erik Totten, who presently plays with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL.

Totten is the only Viking to reach the NFL, but others have had careers in pro football. Orlondo Steinauer has been a CFL all-star, and Chad Rohrbaugh also played briefly in Canada. Jason Stiles played quarterback for Portland of the Arena League, and Jon Garber also saw AFL action. And Greg Malo played four years in NFL Europe. All of those players are from the Smith era, but the lone Viking ever drafted was Dave Weedman, a 12th round pick of the Washington Redskins in 1968.

The Vikings have won 11 league championships, the first being in a Tri-Normal League title in 1923. They followed that up in 1924, but Western didn't win back-to-back league championships again until Columbia Football Association crowns in 1995 and 1996. The Vikings won three in a row from 1999 to 2001, including the inaugural Great Northwest Athletic Conference title in 2001.

Western has played in three home stadiums over the last 80 years. In 1924-34, the Vikings played on campus at Waldo Field, located roughly where Red Square and Miller Hall sit today. In 1935, games moved to Battersby Field near downtown Bellingham, then in 1962 moved to their current home at Civic Stadium.

10 GREAT MOMENTS IN WESTERN FOOTBALL HISTORY

1938 - Vikings complete perfect season

Two long passes from a freshman backup and a dramatic goalline stand helped the Vikings defeat Eastern Washington, 7-0, to wrap up the only undefeated, untied season in Western history.

Western scored in the second quarter as halfback Link Sarles completed a 32-yard pass to Fritz Chorvat, then followed it up the next play with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Don Bell. The Vikings kept the lead by stopping Eastern on four plays from the two-yard line in the third quarter.

A crowd of more than 2,000 saw the game at Battersby Field, and it was the first victory over Eastern since 1927.

1958 - Emersons key comeback victory over Central

In 1957, Fred Emerson had been brilliant, earning honorable mention All-America status. But in the second game of 1958, Emerson suffered a knee injury that sidelined him for much of the season. In the next-to-last game of the season, the Vikings visited Central Washington with both teams undefeated in Evergreen Conference play. Emerson, hampered by his knee injury, was moved from his usual halfback spot and took over at quarterback.

Western trailed, 18-12, with less than four minutes left and took the ball over on its own 4-yard line, but Emerson completed two passes to get the ball to the Viking 36, then found his younger brother Tom along the sidelines for a 66-yard touchdown to tie the game with about a minute left. Tom then kicked the extra point for the victory. The brothers had hooked up for a 54-yard score earlier in the contest. The two touchdown passes were the only ones Western had the entire season.

1969 - Fog Bowl

Western's Evergreen Conference-clinching 16-12 victory over Eastern Washington was played on a foggy night at Civic Stadium. The fog was so dense it forced statisticians out of the press box and down to the sidelines to have any hope of seeing the action on the field. But in the dying moments, the fog lifted, and quarterback Glenn Hadland directed the Vikings downfield. Western reached the Eastern 13-yard line, but then failed to gain yardage on three straight plays. On 4th-and-10, Hadland found Gary Aagaard in the corner of the end zone for the winning touchdown with 1:14 left.

1970 - Vic Randall ices Viking victory

Probably the coldest game Western has ever been involved in was a 20-0 victory over Oregon Tech at Civic Stadium to close out the 1970 season. The contest was played on an icy, snowy field in a wind chill near -20F, leading to a crowd so small they were invited to watch the game from the relative warmth of the press box.

The star of the day was safety Vic Randall. Randall intercepted two of the seven passes attempted by Oregon Tech, the last two pickoffs of 26 he had in his career. Both set up Viking touchdowns. Randall also spent time at wide receiver, catching two passes, including an 8-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter.

1976 - Winning the NAIA District 1 Championship

Although Western did not reach a national playoff game until 1992, it did have one previous post-season game. In 1976, the Vikings faced Pacific Lutheran in the NAIA District 1 championship game that turned into a shootout where both teams put up over 500 yards of offense but also combined for 16 turnovers. Eight of the 10 touchdowns scored were of 20 yards or more, and each team returned an interception for a score.

The Vikings came out on top, 48-28, thanks to a senior quarterback and a freshman running back. The quarterback was Bill Mendelson, who threw for 221 yards and touchdowns of 40 and 14 yards to Hoyt Gier and 75 yards to Jeff Potter, and added a 1-yard touchdown run. The running back was Pat Locker, who ran for 158 yards on 30 carries then added the crowning blow, a 45-yard touchdown pass to Potter, who had five catches for 155 yards, on a halfback option to put the game out of reach.

Western had also reached the game in dramatic fashion, closing the regular season with three straight wins, all with game-winning touchdowns in the last two minutes.

1979 - Locker reaches 4,000

On a cold November day, running back Pat Locker made history, becoming the first back in Northwest small-college football to reach 4,000 yards in career rushing as Western defeated Eastern Oregon, 27-24.

Locker, who had passed Mickey Hergert of Lewis & Clark the previous week to become the Northwest's career rushing leader, surpassed the 4,000-yard milestone on a nine-yard carry early in the fourth quarter. He ran for 131 yards on the day, giving him 4,016 for his career, then tacked on another 33 the following week to complete his four years as a Viking with 4,049 yards.

Locker's Northwest mark stood for 12 years and he remains one of just five running backs in Northwest small-college football history to reach 4,000 yards. Western is the only school to have two players on that list, as Jon Brunaugh ran for 4,073 yards in 1992-95.

1987 - A late rally for victory

Victory seemed unlikely for Western as it faced nationally ranked Western Oregon in a midseason battle. The Vikings entered 1-3 and on a three-game losing streak, and hadn't had more than two wins on the field in a season since 1979. Victory seemed even less likely midway through the fourth quarter. The Wolves held a 14-10 lead, and the Vikings had managed less than 150 yards of offense, but then the game began to change.

A fumbled punt by Western Oregon set up a 45-yard field goal by Peter LaBarge to narrow the margin to 14-13 with 5:45 left, and the Vikings then recovered an onside kick. It seemed a false dawn, though, as LaBarge limped off injured, the ensuing drive stalled, and the Wolves then marched down the field running out the clock.

Western finally held on a fourth-down play and got the ball back at its own 17 with 25 seconds left. After one incompletion, John Barger found high school teammate Scott River for a 64-yard gain to the Western Oregon 19. LaBarge, who had actually been on the sidelines practicing kicks with his left leg, overcame the injury to kick with his right, and hit a 36-yarder as time expired.

How big a victory was it? The school that hadn't had a winning season in a decade didn't lose the rest of the year, finishing 4-3-2, and has had just one losing season since.

1994 - First national playoff victory

Western made its first NAIA playoff appearance in 1992, traveling to Linfield to suffer a 26-0 loss in a game played in a driving rain and winds near 40 miles per hour. Two years later, the Vikings returned to the playoffs, and again opened at Linfield, but with very different results.

The Wildcats had claimed a 26-12 victory in Bellingham earlier in the year and were the No.1 ranked team in NAIA Division II, but Western came out firing in the rematch. Jason Stiles gunned a 54-yard touchdown pass to Eric Meek in the second quarter, and Jon Brunaugh added two second-half scoring runs among his 184 yards on the ground as the Vikings opened up a 21-0 lead. Linfield, which entered the contest averaging 33.3 points a game, got its only points of the day when Western chose not to kick into a stiff wind and conceded a safety with four minutes left. It was the first time in 31 games the Wildcats had failed to score a touchdown, although it was the sixth time in the 1994 season Western held its opponents without one.

1995 - Steinauer's big day

Jon Kitna has gone on to be a starting quarterback in the NFL with Seattle and Cincinnati, but he lost three of his five career starts against Western. One classic battle was in the 1995 regular season. The game was all the more meaningful because the Vikings rolled in 5-0 and ranked No.1 nationally in NAIA Division II for the first time in school history, and an overflow crowd of 5,190 packed Civic Stadium to see it.

Kitna threw for 263 yards in the first half, but the halftime score was tied at 9-9, because Western defensive back Orlondo Steinauer intercepted two passes, one in the end zone, the other just outside it.

But Steinauer's biggest moments of the day came in the second half. In the third quarter he took his third interception of the day 43 yards for a touchdown to give Western the lead. Central later tied the game, but a Steinauer punt return set up a 37-yard Wade Gebers field goal with 4:10 to play that gave the Vikings a 19-16 victory.

Steinauer, who later led the Canadian Football League in interceptions while with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and enters the 2003 season with the Toronto Argonauts ranked 13th all-time in the CFL in interception return yardage (738), was named NAIA National Defensive Player of the Week

1996 - Playoff run

It isn't precisely ONE moment, it's really four. But Western's charge through the NAIA Division II playoffs was so historic, so dramatic and seamless that although at least three games could be on the list by themselves, it really has to be described as one.

After an 8-1 regular season, the Vikings opened the postseason against Pacific Lutheran. With snow lining the sidelines of Civic Stadium, the game went to overtime tied at 14-14. Western scored to take a 21-14 edge, but PLU came back, scoring on 4th-and-long, then going for a two-point conversion to win the game. Lute quarterback Dak Jordan rolled right, then turned upfield looking for the winning points. But as Jordan neared the end zone seemingly clear to score the winning points, Michael Johnson and Jeremy Hader arrived to stop him inches short.

In the quarterfinals, Western faced a Willamette team with one of the top offenses in the NAIA. Chris Nicholl set a school record with 203 yards receiving, but Western still trailed 12-10 late. It took a forced fumble by linebacker Mark Spencer and a fourth-down pass interference call to set a Wade Gebers field goal with 1:45 left for a 13-12 victory.

That sent Western to Ohio for a semifinal game against Findlay, the defending national champion. The Oilers had a bruising running game, but the Vikings jumped to an early lead by going to the air. Quarterback Darren Erath threw touchdown passes on Western's first three possessions of the game, the first two capping drives of 64 and 99 yards, to give the Vikings a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter. Findlay closed to 28-21 in the final three minutes, but Western recovered an onside kick and earned a berth in the national championship game. A 47-25 loss to Sioux Falls, S.D., followed, but it didn't take away from the magical trip that got the Vikings there.

WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY - 100TH ANNIVERSARY ALL-STAR TEAM

First Team - Offense
WR - Chris Nicholl (Mercer Island), 1993-96, First-team NAIA All-American, holds every school season and career receiving record. Set Columbia Football Association record with 1,584 yards receiving in 1996 and established Northwest small college career mark with 3,268 yards receiving.WR - Greg Dykstra (Everson/Lynden Christian), 1999-2002, Set school career record with 181 receptions and is second among leaders with 30 touchdown catches and 2,729 yards receiving.  Set school record by making catch in 38 consecutive games.WR - Hoyt Gier (Ferndale), 1975-78, Caught at least one pass in all 37 games of his four-year career. Honorable mention NAIA All-American.RB - Pat Locker (Ferndale), 1976-79, First-team NAIA All-American.  First player in northwest collegiate history to run for 4,000 career yards (4,049).  Set 12 school records.  Twice WWU Athlete of the Year. Four-times Little All-Northwest, all-district and all-conference selection.RB - Jon Brunaugh (Vancouver/Columbia River), 1992-95, Four-time, first-team Little All-Northwest and Columbia Football Association all-star. Ran for school-record 4,073 career yards. Honorable mention NAIA All-American.FB - Norm Hash (Enumclaw), 1948-51, Second-team Associated Press All-American, twice honorable mention.  UPI All-Coast  choice.QB - Scott Mitchell (Kennewick/Kamiakin), 1999-2001, Harlon Hill Trophy (NCAA II Player of the Year) finalist and Great Northwest Athletic Conference Player of the Year in 2001. Set school career records for total yards (7,877) and passing percentage (.607) and tied mark for touchdown passes (67)TE - Ken Sager (Goldendale), 1982-85, His 92 career catches are tops for WWU tight end.  Offensive tackle his first two seasons.  Played for Seattle Seahawks during NFL's strike season. Honorable mention NAIA All-American.C - Andy Harlin (Seattle/Ingraham), 1973-76, Three-time all-Evergreen Conference pick.  Honorable mention NAIA All-American.G - Jon Garber (Bellevue/Interlake), 1992, Second-team NAIA All-American. Transfer from Brigham Young University.  Played in Arena Football League.G - Scott Stokes (Sumas/Nooksack Valley), 1974-77, Honorable mention NAIA All-American.  Twice named all-district and all-league.T - Travis Cruse (Everett/Cascade), 1992-95, Three-times named Little All-Northwest. Twice honorable mention NAIA All-American.T - Todd Walcker (Redmond), 1994-97, Second-team NAIA All-American and twice honorable mention. Three times named all-CFA and twice Little All-Northwest.K - Wade Gebers (Quincy), 1993-96, WWU's only two-time, first-team football NAIA All-American, school's career scoring leader (267 points), tied for national kick-scoring lead in 1995.
First Team - Defense
E - Dave Weedman (Woodland), 1965-67, Only WWU player selected in NFL draft (12th round, 1968, Washington Redskins). Second-team NAIA All-American.E - Chad Rorabaugh (Battle Ground), 1994-97, Second-team NAIA All-American.  Set CFA and school career marks for quarterback sacks and tackles for losses.T - Butts Giraud (West Vancouver, B.C./Sentinel), 1968-69, Twice honorable mention NAIA All-American.  Three times all-league and all-district choice. Played in Canadian Football League.T - Willis Ball (Bremerton), 1954-55, Honorable mention Associated Press All-American.  Honorable mention UPI All-Coast. Western's first African-American graduate.LB - Mark Spencer (Elma), 1994-97, Second-team NAIA All-American. Credited with 400 career tackles. CFA Defensive Player of the Year in 1996.LB - Bill Christensen (Seattle/Shorewood), 1993-94, First-team NAIA All-American. CFA Defensive Player of the Year in 1994, helping WWU lead nation in scoring defense (12.5).LB - Everett Tiland (Arlington), 1947-50, Second-team Associated Press All-American.CB - Orlondo Steinauer (Lynnwood), 1992-95, Consensus first-team All-American and CFA Defensive Player of the Year in 1995. Led nation in pass interceptions with 10. CFL all-star, playing in 1998 Grey Cup.FS - Vic Randall (Burlington/Burlington-Edison), 1967-70, Holds school career interception record of 26. Honorable mention NAIA All-American.CB - Steve Richardson (Kent/Kent-Meridian), 1963-66, First-team NAIA All-American. Three-time, first-team all-Evergreen Conference pick both ways.SS - Erik Totten (Maple Valley/Tahoma), 1998-2001, Set school career records for yards returned punts (1,242) and kickoffs (1,346). Two-time consensus All-American, first WWU player to appear in NFL regular-season game.P - Peter LaBarge (Woodinville), 1985-88, First-team NAIA All-American. Led nation with 42.5 average in 1988.PR - Orlondo Steinauer (Lynnwood), 1992-95, Ranked ninth nationally in 1995 with 11.6 average.KR - Shane Volkmann (Lake Stevens), 1989-92, Second-team NAIA All-American.  Set school records for career kickoff return yards(1,297) and blocked kicks (8).
Second Team - Offense
WR - Steve Jasmer (Spanaway/Bethel), 1969-72WR - Bill Handy (Everson/Nooksack Valley), 1979-82WR - Ben Clampitt (The Dalles, OR), 1998-99RB - Scott Lohr (Olympia), 1986-89RB - Fred Emerson (Kent), 1957-58RB - Dick Bruland (Blaine), 1923-24FB - Tom Wigg (Issaquah), 1970-73QB - Jason Stiles (Federal Way/Decator), 1992-95TE - Kirk Schneider (Woodinville/Bothell), 1988-89C - Matt Cross (Coupeville), 1993-96G - Russ Davis (Mount Vernon), 1936-39G - Al Cornett (Anacortes), 1950-52T - Mike Knutsen (Bothell), 1970-71T - Jack Dolan (Yokohomo, Japan/Nile C. Kinnick), 1966-67, 73-74K - Peter LaBarge (Woodinville), 1985-88
Second Team - Defense
E - Coley Beaman (Vancouver/Hudson's Bay), 1992, 94-96E - Cory Heins (Leavenworth/Cascade), 1987-90T - Ed Melbourne (Seattle/Queen Anne), 1955-58T - Artis Larsson (Anacortes), 1949-52LB - Wayne Lewis (Federal Way/Decatur), 1984-87LB - Lynton Hyde (Seattle/Ingraham), 1989-92LB - Dick Pangello (Seattle/Cleveland), 1951-52LB - Frank Chorvat (Bellingham), 1935-38CB - Kevin Halliburton (Tacoma/Mount Tahoma), 1970-73FS - Howard Jones (Bellingham), 1937-39CB - Boyd Staggs (Whatcom), 1921-24SS - Kelly Susee (Puyallup), 1986-89P - Erik Morin (Gig Harbor/Peninsula) 1994-97PR - Vic Randall (Burlington/Burlington-Edison), 1967-70KR - Jody Miller (Tacoma/Bethel), 1970-71
Honorable mention:DE Gary Axtell (Seattle/Lincoln)DT Dann DeBellis (Snohomish)RB Chuck EricksonC Jack Frazier (Bellingham)LB Dan Grimshaw (Tacoma/Lakes)DE Doug Groves (Everson/Nooksack Valley)QB Glenn Hadland (Tacoma/Franklin Pierce)DT Ken Knuckey (Kirkland/Redmond)DT Lance Massey (Everson/Nooksack Valley)WR Eric Meek (Bellevue/Newport)OG Jeff Michaelson (Bellingham)FB Al Munkres (Bellingham)OG Marv Nelson (Bellingham/Sehome)TE Bob PlottsOLB Bruce Randall (Sequim)OC Harold Ruthruff (Arlington)Randy Carter (Prosser)LB Mark Venn (North Bend/Mount Si)K Lance Wilson (Bellingham)