This site is a history of Otis and Bison Athletics and their participation in the R.E.N League.  Included will be team rosters, write-ups from newspapers, and anything else that I find pertinent.  Contact me at stan.ewy@gmail.com if you have any information that would of interest.

 

Rush-Ellis-Ness County League (R.E.N.)

(Teams that were in the R.E.N.at one time, not necessarily at the same time)

     a.  Bison

     b.  Otis

     c.  Schoenchen

     d.  Odin

     e.  Bazine

     f.  McCracken

     g.  Alexander

 

From Great Bend Tribune, September 23, 1950

Lewis Takes Otis, 12-0

OTIS - Lewis won the opening game of the season here last night as they scored two touchdowns in the second half against the Otis High gridders and went home on the happy end of a 12-0.  The first half was a scoreless tie with most of the game being played in the central part of the field.  A fumble very near their own goalline by Otis in the third period set up Lewis' first tally.  In the last of the final quarter Roberts of Lewis went 20 yards to chalk up Lewis second TD.  Lewis' power seemed to lie in its two backs, signal-caller Rose and left-half Roberts.

 

From 1950 Bison Trail Yearbook

The Bison Buffaloes ended the football season with a 1-5 record.  Bison's losses came to Garfleld (49-14), Ransom (39-6), McCracken (25-6), Pawnee Rock (32-19), and Beeler (36-0).  The Buffaloe's lone victory came to Gorham (38-30).  Team members were Jerry Scheuerman, Steve Pechanec, Joe Tuzicka, Melvin Erb, Alvin Urban, Doon Moore, Jack Smith, Bruce Ficken, Wilbur Scheuerman, Edwin Breit, Donald Smith, and Kevin Kraisinger.  Coach Romeiser and Mr. Pfeffer, principal were also pictured in the yearbook.

 

(1957-1958)

From Great Bend Tribune, September 22, 1957

Bison-Schoenchen Game Ends in Tie

BISON - Bison and Schoenchen battled to a 25-25 REN League draw here Friday night, but bison had to come through with two touchdowns in the final period to earn the deadlock.  Schoenchen stepped into a 7-0 lead the first quarter and left the turf at halftime with a 19-13 bulge.  Th two sixball teams battled to a 0-0 deadlock in the third period.  Schoenchen counted six points in the last canto while Bison cae through with 12.  Edward Oborny scored two of Bison's touchdowns.

 

From Great Bend Tribune, September 29, 1957

Bison Sacks Gorham, 52-14

BISON - Bison's Buffaloes stampeded Gorham, 52-14, Friday night in a non-league skirmish.  Bison enjoyed a 14-0 lead at halftime and put the win in deep freeze with 25 points in the third period.  Edward Oborny sparked the Bison victory with four touchdowns.  He scored on runs 5, 20, 5, and 2 yards.  Gary Romeiser scored twice on sprints of 7 ad 24 yards.  Darrell Reichel also notched two touchdowns on runs of 45 and 22 yards.  Oborny and Doug Jones scored the extra points.  Gary Smith and Marion McMullen tallied Gorham's touchdowns.

 

(1960-1961)

From Great Bend Tribune, September 18, 1960

Claflin Comes From Behind To Hand Otis, 19-7 Setback

CLAFLIN - The scrappy Otis Eagles had an upset in the making for one half here Friday night but the Claflin Wildcats shoved across two touchdowns in the second half for a 19-7 victory.  Otis left the battle field at halftime with a 7-6 lead.  Harry Walters plunged six yards and added the extra point on a run to put Otis in front.  Mark Oberle boled 45 yards in the first quarter for Claflin.  The try for extra point failed.  Claflin came back in the third quarter for a touchdown on Oberle's one yard plunge.  The speeedy Caflin back iced the verdict with a 70 yard touchdown scamper in the fourth canto.  Bobby Simmons kicked the extra point.

 

Bison Checks Ransom 42-20

RANSOM - Bison lassoed the Ransom Longhorns, 42-20 here Friday night.  Bison led at halftime, 28-20.  Scoring for Bison were Thielenhaus on touchdown runs of 20 and 15 yards; Jim Erb chunked a 15 yard pass to John Erb, dashed 27 yards around end, and Thielenhaus sprinted 65 yards with a kickoff return.  Conard plunged one yard for the final tally.  Adding extra points were Thielenhaus 3 and Jim Erb 3.  Handling Ransom's scoring were Shuckman; 3 yard run; Gieff passed to Leiker, 7 yards; Schuckman plunged four yards.  Schuckman added the two extra points.

 

From Great Bend Tribune, September 25, 1960

Pawnee Rock Polishes Off Bison, 32-7

PAWNEE ROCK - The Pawnee Rock Chiefs scalped the Bison Buffaloes, 32-7 here Friday night in a non-conference game.  Leonard Moore triggered the rout with three touchdowns.  He sailed 65 yards for one TD, plunged five yards and sprinted 20 yards for two more.  Dan Donavan dashed 65 yards on a keeper and Lynn Darcey raced 25 yards for the other two touchdowns.  Erb dashed 30 yards for a Bison touchdown in the third quarter.  He caught a pass for the extra point. Darcey ran over one point and Schmidt caught a pass for the other one pointer.  The Chiefs led in first downs 10-9, hard rushing 319-140.

 

Otis Eagles Speed Past Ransom 40-6

OTIS - Otis ripped Ransom 40-6 Friday night.  Lee Sohm scored 4 touchdowns and Stos two for Otis.  Shuckman scored for Ransom.  Otis led in first downs, 14-7, yards rushing 295-130 and hit 9 of 14 passes for 72 yards.

 

From Great Bend Tribune, October 9, 1960

Bazine Tops Bison In REN Tilt, 40-27

BAZINE - Bazine outdueled Bison, 40-27 here Friday night in an REN League game.  Bazine led 20-13 at halftime.  O'Brien sprinted for three Bazine touchdowns on runs of 20, 8, and 7 yards.  McFadden turned in touchdowns runs of 14 and 55 yards and Schneider plunged one yard.  Bazine out rushed Bison 246-189.  Bison hit 11 of 18 passes for 132 yards.  Bazine didn't try to pass.

 

(1963-1964)

From Great Bend Tribune, September 22, 1963

Marquette vs. Otis

MARQUETTE - The Otis Eagles opened a new grid slate and their first year of competition in the Quivera League by plaing the Marquette Wolverines to a 6-all deadlock.  Marquette scored first on a 20 yard pass from Doug Johnson to Bill Rawson.  Otis came back in the third period to knot the score on a two yard run by John Shugart.

 

From Great Bend Tribune, September 29, 1963

Bison vs. McCracken

BISON - The home team Bison rolled to a 27 point second half that buried McCracken 41-21 Friday night in a R.E.N. League play.  Rick Holopirek and Ron Urban led the Bison offense with Holopirek spearheading a tough second half defense.  The score at halftime wa 14 all. Bison ground out 360 yards rushing and 102 yards passing.

 

Otis vs. Geneseo

OTIS - Otis racked up 179 yards on the ground, and completed seven of ten passes for 114 yards as Otis downed Geneseo 21-13 here Friday night.  Otis scored in the first, third, and fourth quarters while Geneseo scored in the first and second quarter.  Asbill scored two touchdowns for Otis on runs of five and two yards.  The other touchdown came on a 40 yard pass play from Stieben to Rich Miller.  Extra points were scored by Haning and Straub runs and a Stieben to Rich Miller accounted for the other.  Geneseo's scoring was on a 75 yard kick off return by Stratman and a 24 yard pass play from Stratman to Stockstill.  The extra point after the first touchdown was by Ecklund on a run.

 

(1964-1965)

From Great Bend Tribune, October 20, 1964

Otis Guns Down Marquette, 12-6

OTIS - Scoring evenly in the first and third period, and holding Marquette to a minus-two yards rushing, Otis claimed its first Quivera League victory, 12 to 6.  In the first down department, Otis rushed past Marquette, 13 to 4.  Tom Riedl scored first for Otis on a 15 yard jaunt.  The scoring for Otis was swed up when Allen Wegele pushed the second score across from the 12 yard line.  Dick Claypool scored the only tally of the evening for Marquette when a loose Otis fumble was picked up on the Otis 40 and run back to the 8 yard line.  Claypool went in from the eight on the next play.

 

(1965-1966)

From Great Bend Tribune, November 3, 1965

Bison Downs Hanston 18-14

BISON - The Bison Fuffaloes stampeded in the final period with 12 points to top Hanston 18-14 in a non-league encounter, here Tuesday night.  Bison now has a 6-2 mark for the season.  Jerry Erb scored for the Buffs on a 12 yard run, Gaylen Schultz tallied in a 75 yard run, while Jerry Dalton got the final run on a 10 yard burst.  All PAT attempts failed for the Buffs.  Dale Halling scored for Hanston on a four yard pass from Jim Wilson.  Walt Salmans picked up the other ED on a six yard run.  Halling ran for both extra points.  Bison will play their last game of the season against unbeated Belpre-Trousdale.

 

(1966-1967)

From Great Bent Tribune, October 9, 1966

Gorham Drubs Bison 47-15

GORHAM - Gorham's Oilers won their first game of the season aftr three losses by trampling Bison 47-15 in a non-league encounter Friday night.  The Oilers started early with Larry Mike recovering a fumble in the endzone; then Roger Herman scored on a seven yard run with Butler running the point; and Butler completing the scoring for the first period.  Herman scored in the second quarter when he pounced on a loose ball in the end zone which had been fumbled by one of his teamates.  Schon passed to Butler on a 30 yard scoring play and to Herman for a 25 yard score in the third quarter.  Herman ran six yards for the final tally in the last quarter.  Butler ran three points after and Herman one.  Gary Schultz and Jim Pozalek scored for Bison.

 

Otis Scores 12-0 Win Over Bushton

OTIS - Brent Kerbs threw a pass to Dan Haning covering 61 yards on the first play as Otis went on to win over Bushton 12-0 Friday night in a Quivera contest.  The long pass play was the only real scoring threat by Otis until the final quarter.  With 8:30 left, Terry Highfill scored on a one yard plunge.  Bushton got inside the home team's 20 yard line 4 times during the game but was held scoreless.  Otis rushed 120 yards and passed for 73, while Bushton rushed for 54 yards and got 86 on passes.  It was homecoming for Otis with Barbara Bahr, a senior named queen.  Her attendants included Kay Wissman, freshman; Kenna Gough, sophmore; Jane Butherus, junior, and Judy Tinkel, senior.

 

From Great Bend Tribune, October 30, 1966

Bison Buffaloes Down McCracken Mustangs 46-19

McCRACKEN - The McCracken Mustangs played host to the Bison Buffaloes, here Friday night, and the visitors took home a 46 to 19 victory for their traveling efforts.  For the Mustangs - Terry Peters caught three passes from Whitis, one eight yards, another for 30 yards and a third for 21 yards for touchdowns.  Lance Morgan scored the lone extra point for McCracken.  The scoring for Bison was handled by Schultz who accounted for five for the evening with a 31 yard, 7 yard, 26 yard, 65 yard, and a seven yard run.  Randle scored on a 14 yard pass from the Buffalo quarterback.  Erb went over from the one.  The extra points were both scored by Urban who gathered in passes on the tries.  The game was deadlocked at 19 all by half time but the Buffaloes came back strong in the second half to win it to the tune of 46 to 19.

 

Bison Buffalo

According to the Bison Trail, the 1966-67 football team won 3 and lost 6 finishing third in the South 50-6 league standings.  The Buffaloes defeated Hudson, Garfield, and McCracken; lost to Haviland, Gorham, Bazine, Odin, Hanston, and Pawnee Rock.  Football lettermen for the season were Jerry Erb, Tom Humburg, Mark Reha, Don Rothe, Bill Schneider, Gaylen Schultz, Gary Wilhelm,Terry Dalton, Bill Newhall, Dennis Pechanec, James Pozalek, Don Schneider, Bob Urban, Bert Newhall, Dana Randel, Robin Scheuerman, and Otis Serpan.  Coaches for the 1966-67 team were Bud Tanking and Gary Yost.

 

     According to the Bison Trail, the 1966-67 basketball squad finished with a regular season record of 11-9.  Bison did take second in the South50-6 league tournament and third place in the District Tourney held at Bison.  The highlight of the season was defeating Pawnee Rock who was ranked 4th in the state 41-40.  Varsity Basketball lettermen for the year were Jerry Erb, Gary Wilhelm, Dennis Pechanec, Bill Tuzicka, Ken Holopirek, Tom Humburg, and Gaylen Schultz.  Other team members on the Varsity included Don Rothe, and Mark Reha,   This information was submitted by Coach Tanking.  The Buffalo's 11 wins were against Haviland, Odin, Hudson (2), Pawnee Heights, Haviland, Pawnee Rock, and McCracken.  Their losses were to Garfield (2), Hanston, Pawnee Rock, Otis, Ransom, and Schoenchen.   Bison defeated Garfield to whom they lost to during the regular season but lost to Pawnee Rock in the South 50-6 league tournament.  At the District Tourney they defeated Utica 73-56, lost to Bazine 79-66 in the semi-finals, and then defeated Schoenchen 71-57 to capture the third place trophy.  Basketball coaches included Marion McIntyre, Bud Tanking, and Gary Yost.  Bill Schneider and Don Reinhardt served as managers.