With the State High School Wrestling Tournament beginning today (Wednesday), let's review some of Boone High's storied wrestling history.
First, though, we honor three current BHS wrestlers who have earned their way into qualification for this year's event.
Ty Solverson will compete at 120-pounds; Jayden Angle at 182-pounds and Taner Harvey at 195-pounds. All will be battling the "big boys," in Class 3-A, which features wrestlers from the larger schools, attendancewise, in Iowa.
There is special interest in Harvey's entry. He was state runnerup last year at 182-pounds and this year is hoping to become the first? Toreador state wrestling champion. HOWEVER, there might be an asterisk (*) involved. Here's the skinny.
The Iowa High School Athletic Association, which governs boys high school athletic programs in the state, was formed in 1904 but did not organize an "official" State Wrestling Tournament until 1926. Prior to that time, promoters, mainly at Iowa State University in Ames, hosted what they called " a State High School Wrestling Tournament." It was more like an invitational event. Not all schools with wrestling programs competed and the format was different than it is today.
At that time, especially in the early 20's, there was no better high school wrestling program than the one at Boone High School.
At the Ames event, in both 1923 and 1924, BHS won the team championship under Coach Leland Page. In 1925, they shared the team title with Marshalltown. James Irwin coached that Boone team.
During that period, both Willis Stanley, 1922-24, and Lyle Wilson, 1923-25, became THREE-TIME state champions.
Then, in 1926, the IHSAA took full sponsorship of the state wrestling program.
So, here's the situation today. If Taner Harvey wins a state title.......yes, he will be the first BHS state champion in IHSAA TOURNAMENT SANCTIONED history. However, those oldtimers, Stanley and Wilson, who each won THREE state championships and are members of the IHSAA Wrestling Hall of Fame should not be forgotten.
Through the years there have been many other BHS wrestlers, both pre-1926 and since, who have made their mark in state competition......with high finishes in their weight class. Mason Hulse comes to mind quickly. He was a state runnerup one year and a sixth-place finisher another in the most recent years.
Now the Kornerman is getting into dangerous territory. I probably shouldn't get involved here but I can recall lots of good Toreador wrestlers who were placewinners at the state meet......Paul (Pete) McIntyre, Jeff Saggau, Steve Paris, Scottie Beckwith and Gary Long all had those moments. And, there are others, I'm sure, that I haven't listed and I apologize for those I have neglected to mention.
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We had some swimming history in the last edition, highlighting the story of Bob Anderson who set some national high school records. Let's put a ribbon on the swim history with a couple items you viewers might find interesting, plus more details on "other" individuals who have performed well as members of the BHS swim program.
(1) You oldtimers may remember, I'm sure, the original Boone High School swimming pool. It was very small, I think probably four lanes and was it 20 or 40 yards long? Very limited seating capacity also.
Toreador swimming began in the 1920-21 school year. In 1923, a bond issue was passed for building that swimming pool in a new addition to the high school building. The bond issue was for $225,000, the vote carried by a 2-1 margin and the pool was completed in November of 1924. The following month, regular P.E. swim classes were started and the pool was open for competition against other schools.
In those early years, of course, there were very few schools that even had a pool to offer its students and in 1940-41, that small Boone pool became the host to the very first State High School Swim Meet ever held in a high school pool. Nine schools were entered.
(2) In the 1945-46 school year, Boone High School swimming received NATIONWIDE publicity when Helen Emmons was named the Toreador head coach. NATIONWIDE? WHY?
Helen Emmons was, reportedly, the first woman coach of any boy's high school team in the nation.
My, how times have changed. Its been a slow process, but, in recent years, that type of thing has become more commonplace.
Bob Anderson wasn't Boone High's only state champion swimmer. Vince Dahl captured three state championships. In 1980, he captured the 50-freestyle in 22.10 and the 100-freestyle in 48.10. In 1982, he earned his second 50 crown in 21.58.
Eldon (Bud) Dahl, Vince uncle, was a state champion, winning the 100-breaststroke in 1:08.6 in the 1947-48 season. Then, in the 1949-50 school year, the team of Jerry Smith, Bob Dahl, Vince dad, and Bob Jensen took the 180-medley championship in 1:45.9. Yes, that relay featured three-man teams.
The Kornerman feels a special closeness to the BHS swim teams, mainly of the 60's. In that time, school authorities knew "for sure" that there would be at least one non-school person, your Boone News/KWBG reporter, at out of town events. As a result, quite often, I was hired by the school to help transport athletes, including swimmers, and even cheerleaders to competition outside of Boone.
I remember the Cross boys, the Herman's, Warren Thompson, Bob Cramer, Mike Wittmer, Russ Carlson, Jim Miles, Fritz Erbe, Clark Reed and other Toreador swim members who traveled with me. Perhaps they remember too.
Teamwise, the mid-60's were memorable, the best. .Many school records, pool records and some 30 meet records were established by the teams of 1963-64 and 1964-65.
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BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Jack Coffman, 80, Boone. BHS-58. Navy vet. He and wife, Beverly, moved back to Boone in 1971. Jack worked at John Deere for 17 years and then at Prairie Meadows until retirement. Survivors include his wife, Beverly, of Boone, daughter, Dawn Smiley, of Boone and son, Chuck Coffman, of Boone........Della Mae Deal Wirtz, 88, Boone. Married Leo Wirtz in 1950 in Boone and the couple operated the "Office Lounge" and "Blue Cloud Cafe" for a time. Then, Della became a homemaker while raising their children. Survivors include three daughters, including Linda Clarke of Boone and two sons, including Carl Wirtz of Boone.
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Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments.....
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
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