Can you imagine coaching a high school football team to a 14-0 conference record and still not be eligible to make the playoffs? That’s exactly what happened to coach Fred Hebert and the Whitehall (Memorial) High School Norsemen football team in 1979, my junior year.

The Norsemen football team’s record has always had it’s ups and downs, but that year was unique. We were a powerhouse, with all senior linemen, except for myself (a junior) at center. We were a running team, with Duane (Duey) Fimreite at quarterback. I remember quarterback sneaks netting 50+ yards. Nobody could touch us, except for Holmen, Wisconsin, a Class B team (we were class C) that we played in a non-conference game. We lost that first game, and it prevented us from making the playoffs. Yup, we were undefeated, and not one team from the Dairyland Conference went on to the WIAA playoffs. The state’s schools are now divided into divisions for football, one through seven. It used to be Class A, B and C.

Wisconsin has dozens of conferences made of of dozens of teams. They have more conferences, than New Hampshire has Class L schools. Sixteen teams make it into playoffs out of hundreds. Less teams make the NHIAA playoffs in six divisions, but the likelihood of making post-season play is much, much higher, maybe more like a 30 to 40 percent chance.

Looking back, I don’t recall much controversy over the playoffs eligibility rules back then. Maybe the coaches discussed it, and changes have obviously been made since.

-Bob Hammerstrom

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