Verl Ehlert (49) was an outstanding athlete at SHS in the late 40’s.  The 6’3”, 190 lb. athlete scored 19 TD’s and 578 points in basketball in his athletic career.  He later went on to fight in the Korean War and played basketball for some outstanding National Guard Teams across the country.

Ken Wacker (59) was a mainstay of Stewart athletics in the late 40’s.  The 6’2”, 175 lb. Wacker was an end in football, forward in  basketball and played 1^st base in baseball.

Glen Bonine (51) was the first two sport All-Conference athlete in SHS history.  He was an All-Conference selection in basketball in 1950, and football in 1949 and 1950.  The 6’, 165 lb. athlete also played 3^rd base on the baseball team.

Sam Orton (51) was an outstanding all-around athlete at SHS in the early 1950’s.  The 6’1”, 185 lb. Orton led his team to a 6-1 record in football in 1950 as he ran for 13 TD’s, and passed for 10 TD’s.  He was selected to the 1950 All-Conference Football team.

The Stewart Gophers vs. the Hector Bulldogs in the "old" Hector Gymnasium in 1951.  For the Gophers, # 66 is Bob Karg, #55 is Sam Orton, #69 is Jerry Koopman, #22 is Glen Bonine and #77 is Dale Gilhoi.

Don Karg (47) was the oldest of the a4 Karg brothers that played athletics at SHS.  An all-around athlete, Don was also a boxer that was runner-up in the 1947 Golden Glove Tournament in the light heavy-weight class.

Bob Karg (52) was an outstanding football and basketball player at SHS in the early 50’s. He also played shortstop on the high school baseball team.  

Jim Karg (55) is known as one of the best football players ever to play at SHS.  He was outstanding in all sports and was an All-Conference football player in 1954.

LeRoy Karg (57) was the youngest of the Karg boys and a two time All-Conference football player in 1955 and 1956.  At 6’1”, 205 lbs., he played fullback and defensive tackle.

Wayne Burke (53) was an outstanding all-around athlete in the early 50’s.  He was an All-Conference football player in 1952.

Earl Stockman (55) was the oldest of three brothers that played at SHS.  He was an All-Conference football player in 1954.

Alvin  Woller (57) was an All-Conference basketball player in 1956.  He was the first All-Conference basketball selection since 1950.

Arvin Buss (57) was one of the all time great half- backs in SHS history.  The speedy Buss was All-Conference in football in 1956.

1956 Stewart High School Cheerleaders (L-R) Kay Twite, Shirley Kirchoff, Cecilia Koenig, and Linnea Wacker.  All of the cheerleaders had younger brothers that would play athletics in the late 50’s and early 60’s.

1956 All-Conference Football Players (L-R) Guard - Jim Trettin,  Tackle – Norman Hahn, Fullback – LeRoy Karg, and Halfback -  Arvin Buss.

Wayne Stockman (58) was an outstanding all-around athlete and an All-Conference basketball player in 1958.

Arvin Buss (57) scored 13 TD’S in 1956.  The 5’8” 155 lb. Buss was also outstanding in track, baseball and basketball.

Jim Trettin (58) was a two time All-Conference football player in 1956 and 1957.  He was one of the best linemen ever to play at SHS.

Arvin Buss #43 and LeRoy Karg  combined to gain 1350 yards rushing in 1956.  The speedy Buss ran the outside plays while Karg ran the inside plays.

Junior halfback Delano Wacker breaks loose for a 45 yard touchdown in a 1957 season opening 19-0 victory over Maple Lake.

The 1957 Gophers were runners-up in the 212 Conference.  Their only loss was to Hector in the second game of the year, 13-6

Gloriann (50) was the Homecoming Queen in 1949 and was known for her great singing voice.

 Elroy (52) was an all-around athlete at SHS.

Joicelyn (53) was the Homecoming Queen in 1952 and participated in many activities.

Arlen (55) was an all-around athlete at SHS.

Shirley (57) was a Homecoming Attendant in 1956 and a cheerleader for four years.  She was also known for her singing voice.

Eddy (50) was an outstanding student and athlete.  He was an All-Conference in football and basketball and an excellent baseball player.  He also had a good singing voice and sang in many musical groups.

Gary (62) was a talented athlete, musician, and student.  He was All-Conference in football and basketball and an outstanding pitcher in baseball.

Ron (65) started his career at Stewart High School and then moved to Hutchinson in the summer of 1964 where he was a successful student – athlete.

Bob Werner (58) was one of the outstanding  pitchers in the area for four years.  He led the Gophers to consecutive championships in 1957 and 1958.  He was  9-1 and struck out 100 hitters in 67 innings in his Senior year.  In 1957 he was selected as the Most Valuable Player in the New Ulm Area

   Bob Werner (left) with sophomore catcher Arlo Gehrke.

Bob Werner on the mound at Buffalo Lake in 1958.

1959 District 12 Baseball Runner-up

Delano Wacker (batting) and Eddie Kirchoff (on deck) batted 3^rd and 4^th for the Gophers for 3 years.  Both were 4 year starters.  They were on teams that won the Conference in 1957 and 1958 and District 12 Runners-up in 1959

Kirchoff, Maiers, and Wacker were 3 year starters at SHS from 1956 through 1958. Wacker led the Conference in scoring in 1958 and scored 22 TD’S in his career.  He was All-Conference in 1957 and 1958.  Maiers was an All-Conference tackle in 1957 and 1958.  Kirchoff was an All-Conference tackle in 1958.

Tom Koopman was a 2 year starter in football and an honorable mention player in 1958.  He was also outstanding in track.

John Lipke (59) was a 2 year starter in football and an honorable mention player in 1958.  He was also a 2 year starter in basketball and baseball and competed in track.

Delano (Butch) Wacker (59) was an outstanding all-around athlete at SHS in the late 50’s.  He was All-Conference in football and basketball and one of the stand-out baseball players in the area.  After graduating from St. Cloud State College in the Spring of 1963, he signed a teaching-coaching contract at Eagle Bend High School in Minnesota; however, he was killed by lightning while working for  Green Giant on June 28^th near Litchfield, MN.

Dennis Lade (60) was an outstanding 4 sport athlete in the early 60’s.  He was an All-Conference half-back in football, an All-Conference basketball player, a sprinter in track, and a 1^st baseman in baseball.  He was also Valedictorian of his class.

Arlo Gehrke (60) was a 4 year starter in baseball and an outstanding football and basketball player.

1959 Stewart High School Coaching Staff.

Left to Right:  Jim Mills (58 – 62) started the wrestling program at SHS in the winter of 1958.  As early as 1960 his teams had a great deal of success.  Phil Paulson (56-59) was an outstanding teacher and coach at SHS.  He was an excellent line coach where he coached some great All-Conference players during his stay.  When he left Stewart he became an ordained minister.  Ken Gulbrandson (54-68) guided SHS in all sports and was the Athletic Director during his time in Stewart.  Known as an outstanding football coach, he also developed an excellent track program that won several conference and district titles. Merv Ellwood (56-64) was an assistant coach in football and became the head basketball and baseball coach at SHS.  His baseball teams from 1957 -1962  were Conference Champions 3 times and Conference Runners-up twice.  His 1961 baseball team won the District Championship.

Class of 1961 Captains: (L to R): Track-Bob Striech, Wresting-Larry Eitel, Football-Willard Carlson, Basketball-Dick Barnes, Baseball-Steve Twite.  All of these players were well-rounded athletes in their careers at SHS.

1961 Region 3 Wrestling entries.  (L to R):  6’3” 245 lb. heavyweight Charles Olesen.  Olesen was also an All-Conference football player.  175 lb. Norvel Bollingmo,  120 lb Ron Stockman.  Stockman placed 2^nd in the 1961 Region Three Wrestling Meet.  

John Schilling (62) skirts left end in a Homecoming victory over Brownton.  Schilling is regarded as the fastest athlete in SHS history.

 Norman and Norvel Bollingmo (62) were twin brother wrestlers for SHS in the early 60’s.  Norvel played football, basketball, baseball and track in his career. 

Allen Han (61) was an All-Conference halfback, and a 440 yard dash District Champion, and played 2^nd base on the Conference and District Championship baseball teams.

Dick Barnes (61) was a 6 year starter in baseball and lettered 19 times in his athletic career at SHS.

Barnes broke the District 12 Pole Vault record in 1960 and was the first SHS athlete to compete at the State Tournament level.

Ralph Larson (62) was an All-Conference end in football and the Conference 100 yard dash and discus Champion in 1961 in track..

1961 Starting Offensive Line-up:.  Front Row: (L to R) Gary Meier, Gary Kirchoff, Doug Proehl, Myron Redman, Norvel Bollingmo, Larry Meier, Allen Woller.  Back Row:  (L to R) Randy Zieman,            John Schilling, Darvin Bethke, Dick Twite, and Tyrone Wacker.

1961 Jump-Ball versus Sacred Heart in the old Stewart Gym.  Gary Kirchoff  is jumping and #44 is Ralph Larson.

Pitcher Dick Barnes and Catcher Tyrone Wacker with Coach Merv Ellwood.  Barnes and Wacker were first battery mates since 1953 when they played Little League baseball.

John Schilling (left) won the District 12 100, 220, 440 yard dashes in the 1962 meet.  Gary Meier won the District 12 and Region 3 Track Meet in the high hurdles.  Meier then went on to place 3^rd in the State Track Meet.  Gary Meier is regarded as one of the best football players ever to play at SHS.

Larry Meier (62) is the twin brother of Gary.  Larry was an outstanding all-around athlete in all four sports.  He was an All-Conference football player in 1961, an outstanding 1^st baseman in baseball, center on the basketball team, and the 212 Conference Champion in the 880 in track in 1961.

Tyrone (Stine) Wacker (62) followed in brother Delano’s footsteps in athletics at SHS.  The youngest of the 3 Wacker boys, he played on seven 212 Conference Championship teams and five Runner-up teams in his career at SHS.  He was an All-Conference selection in football and basketball, ran the sprints in track and played catcher/pitcher in baseball.  He  played football and baseball in college. Wacker went  on to coach more than 40 years in high school, junior college and college.  Several of his teams would go on to win State Championships.  He is a member of the Baseball and Football Halls of Fame.   

Don Lenz (63) was an All-Conference halfback in 1962. 

Allen Woller (63) was an All-Conference and All-Area end in 1962.

Bert Bauer (64) was an All-Conference halfback in 1963.

Ken (Skip) Goodman (64) was an All-Conference lineman in 1963.  He was killed in action in Viet Nam in 1967.

1964 Starting Line-up: Front Row (L to R) Dennis Daniels, Rick Larson, Pete Kasal, Daryl Lade, Paul Kasal,           Don Burke, Marlowe Kottke,.  Back Row (L to R) Doug Krienke, John Kalenberg, Bruce Schmidt, Ted Burke.  

Daryl Lade (65) and Bruce Schmidt (65) were All-Conference football players in 1964.  Daryl was the youngest of six Lade brothers to play football at SHS. Larry (55),  Arlen (57), Dennis (60), Ken (61), Grant (63) and Daryl (65).  

1965 All-Conference football players: (L to R) HB - Doug Krienke,         End – Marlowe Kottke, FB – Ted Burke, End – Merril Zieman, and               LB – Duane Lenz.

1966 SHS Cheerleaders: (L to R) Jane Hahn, June Hahn, Sue Fenske, Bonnie Dettman, Jean Hahn. 

Looking South in a 1965 game at Stewart against Sacred Heart.  Number 88 is Duane Lenz and Number 78 is Terry Chatfield.

Cliff Kottke (#16) and Gary Hahn (#18) converge on Hector halfback Duane Hauer.  Other players in the picture are Hector’s #77 Doug Nicolai, Stewart’s #58 Brian Klitzke and Stewart’s #88 Ron Meier.  Hector defeated Stewart 20–0.  Stewart and Hector tied for the Conference Title with records of 6-1.   

Doug Krienke (67) was a three year starter in all four sports during his career at SHS.  He set a school record with 1607 all purpose yards in 1967.  In a game against Danube in 1966, he scored 3 touchdowns in three minutes.  He returned a kick-off for a touchdown, intercepted a pass for a touchdown, and then ran for a 66 yard touchdown in Stewart’s first possession.

Captain Gary Hahn (68) leads the Gophers out of the locker room in a Homecoming game against Hector in 1967.   

Mary and Gary Hahn were Homecoming King and Queen in 1967.  Twins Mary and Gary, triplets Jane, Jean and June, and Allen Hahn were brothers and sisters.

Bob Grabow (68) was a two time All-Conference football lineman and Joel Dettman (68) was an All-Conference football halfback in 1967.

Gary Lambertson (68) was an All-Conference football defensive back in 1967.

Cliff Kottke (68) was an All-Conference football end in 1966.  He set the school record with 15 receptions in 1966.

Steve Rosenow (69) was an All-Conference football linebacker in 1968.

Dave Daniels (69) was an All-Conference lineman in 1968. 

Chuck Zieman (70) was the youngest of three Zieman brothers that made All-Conference..  Chuck was an All-Conference football  halfback in 1969.

Dick Penk (72) was an All-Conference defensive end in football in 1971. 

Jim Scholla (72) was an All-Conference back in football in 1971.

The 1972 SHS basketball team tied for 2^nd in the 212 Conference.  It was the highest that SHS ever finished in the 212 Conference.  They had 5 players average in double figures for the season:  Larry Schuette – 19.6,               Chuck Kosek – 12.4, Elmer Rettig – 11.7, Larry Syverson – 10.5 and Parry Syverson – 10.3.  

Basketball captain Ron Meier (69) was an outstanding all-around athlete for SHS in the late 60’s.  He was the younger brother of Larry and Gary Meier.  Chuck Peik (center) coached basketball in 1968 and 1969 at SHS.  Dennis Welter (right) replaced legendary coach Ken Gulbrandson in the fall of 1968.

Larry Schuette (72) was an All-Conference football and basketball selection at SHS.  He caught 27 passes in football in 1971 and scored 381 points in basketball in his senior year.

Chuck Kosek (73) was a dominating athlete in three sports in the conference in his senior year. 

Mike Blum (74) was a two  time All-Conference football player and considered to be one of the better linemen in SHS history.

Larry Syverson (73) makes a diving catch in the end-zone for the first touchdown every scored “under the lights” at Stewart’s football field in 1971.

The 1973 District 12 Runner-up.  Front Row: (L to R) Rick Fenske, Bob Moritz, Alan Burge, Parry Syverson, Terry Kern, Warren Waller, Kevin Dreier, Mark Syverson, Guy Pagenkopf. Back Row: (L to R) Coach Gordy Syverson, Bruce Daniels, Mike Blum, Steve Scholla, Chuck Kosek, Craig Burgstahler, Kevin Burgstahler, Kevin Schueller, Dave Blum, Bruce Novotny, Coach Brad Baysinger.

In the District Finals, Stewart led Glencoe 1-0 in the fifth inning when pitcher Chuck Kosek ran out of innings (pitching rule) for the tournament.  Stewart lost 2-1.

Chuck Kosek (73) led SHS to a Conference baseball Title in 1972 and a District 12 Runner-up in 1973.  Kosek was considered to be the hardest throwing pitcher in SHS history.

Gordy Syverson came to SHS in the fall of 1969 from South Dakota where he had coached for several years.  He was the baseball and basketball coach at Stewart for several years.  All four of his boys were outstanding athletes at SHS.

L to R:  Garry, Larry and Parry along with little brother, Mark (who graduated later in the 70’s), were all outstanding all-around athletes at SHS in the late 60’s and early 70’s.

Ralph Windschitl (71) was the oldest of five brothers that all wrestled  at SHS.  In addition to being an outstanding wrestler,, Ralph was an All-Conference football  lineman in the fall of 1970.

Bob Windschitl (74) was a two time Conference and District 12 wrestling Champion.  He won more wrestling matches than anyone in SHS wrestling history.  He was also an All-Conference football player in the fall of 1973.

The Wrestling Windschitl’s: (L to R) Jim, Paul, Leo and Bob.  Older brother Ralph graduated in 1971 and was also an outstanding wrestler.  The family moved to Motley, MN. after Bob graduated in 1974.