TEARS CAME TO THE EYES of Gaylord players as they were presented the state Class C football championship trophy at St. Peter Thursday after beating Preston 26-6. Accepting the trophy are co-captains Jeff Koch, face to left of trophy, and Arlie Grages (15). This is the first state championship trophy for Gaylord since the 1926 basketball team. (Photos by Ron Grieser)

ST. PETER – Bedlam finally broke loose among Gaylord High School football players and fans after the Spartans whipped the Preston Bluejays 26-6 here Thursday night for the first state Class c football championship.

Gaylord was “a little bit excited” the past week about having its team in the first state grid playoffs, but football playoffs are something new this year and fans and players didn’t really know how to react. But after the win Thursday, the impact of a state championship was felt and Gaylord was wild with joy.

The clock was ticking down the final minute and already several hundred Gaylord fans were on the sidelines, waiting to rush onto the field and mob their victorious Spartans.

The players, who were tighter than a drum covering the first quarter, finally released their tensions. They laughed; they cried tears of happiness; they shouted; they hugged anyone who wanted to be hugged. Even Arlie Grages,the cool quarterback, hit an emotional peak after the game as he clutched the championship trophy.

This is the first semblance of a state championship trophy for Gaylord since the 1926 basketball team won the state tourney.

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BOTH TEAMS came into this contest with impressive clippings, but Gaylord dominated. The Spartan defense hand-cuffed the Fitzgerald brothers from Preston and the Bluejays from down Rochester way couldn’t put a harness on the Bandy rooster from Gaylord – Bob Bandemir.

A 5-7, 163-pound junior who is as solid as a water hydrant, Bandemir rambled and ripped through Preston’s defense for 275 yards in 25 carries. That’s an average of 11 yards per try!

Bandemir helped Gaylord roll up 334 yards rushing. Only a rash of first half penalties for movement before the snap kept Gaylord from over 400 yards rushing. One penalty took away a 41 yard run by Jeff Koch, another stellar runner Thursday.

Bandemir scored two touchdowns and Koch got the other two.

Meanwhile, Preston’s highly touted offense had to settle for an 87-yard kickoff return in the final quarter by speedy Kelly Fitzgerald. A Gaylord defender missed an open field tackle at the 50 to spring Fitzgerald loose. This is the first time any team ran back a kick against Gaylord this season.

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GAYLORD kept close watch on Kelly Fitzgerald and Preston was held to 115 yards rushing in 31 plays.

Preston also came in with a heralded passing attack, but Gaylord’s strong pass rush gave Mike Fitzgerald the running fits. Preston didn’t really go to the passing game until down 19-0 in the final quarter. In all, the Bluejays completed just 4 of 15 passes and had three intercepted, one by Keith Deitz ‘in the end zone and two by Arlie Grages in midfield. Fitzgerald had to do his throwing on the run and did damage on only one long pass. However, an interception on the next play killed that threat in the third period.

Gaylord was so eager to get moving that the first three plays resulted in procedure penalties. Eight such flags were dropped against the Spartans the first half. The Spartans seemed highly keyed and jumped too quickly before the center snap, both by the linemen and the backs.

Two runs of 29 and 17 yards by Bandemir on the second time Gaylord had the ball got the Spartans untracked. The drive took eight plays to go 66 yards. Bandemir blasted over right tackle for the touchdown after Grages hit Keith Dietz with a 20 yard pass on third down. With 5:57 left in the first quarter, Gaylord led 7-0.

PRESTON had two scoring threats the first half. Early in the second period,Dietz intercepted a pass in the end zone after the Bluejays had first down on the 12 yard line. A few minutes later, Preston completed a few passes and reached Gaylord’s 15, but a fourth-and-one play was smeared for no gain by Grages, moving up from cornerback position across the line.

Gaylord marched 77 yards in eight plays to score midway in the third period. Bandemir broke over right tackle, cut to the outside and went the final 35 yards to make it 13-0. Bandy had 94 yards rushing this quarter, spurting 46 yards on a play in Gaylord’s next series. This drive started after a pass interception by Grages. The Spartans drove 67 yards in seven plays. Koch carried the last three times from the seven; bucking over from the two in the opening minute of the fourth quarter. That made it 19-0.

Then came Preston’s only moment of glory. Kelly Fitzgerald took the kickoff on the 13 and went 87 yards down the right sidelines for a touchdown.

Minutes later, another interception stopped Preston and Gaylord drove to its fourth touchdown, 38 yards in six plays. Koch bulled five yards over left tackle for this score with 5:11 remaining.

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GAYLORD’S offensive line was blocking very well to give daylight room to Bandemir and Koch. On the sweeps by Bandy, it was guard Steven Seberson and Koch running interference and mowing down defenders.

New Ulm Daily Journal, Nov. 17, 1972