Ken’s Quiz — 50 Years of Bellingham High Football

written by KEN HAMWEY, Bulletin Sports Editor
 
When Bellingham High’s football team kicks off the 2017 season on Sept. 8 against Blackstone-Millville, it will mark the 50th anniversary of the program’s modern era.
 
Football at BHS got its start initially in the early 1930s, when it played a five-game schedule. The program eventually was disbanded after several years because a player died from injuries suffered during a game. Attempts to re-start the program failed, primarily because transportation to away games posed a problem when gasoline was being rationed at the start of World War II.
 
During the 1960s, however, a renewed desire to field a team took hold and a junior-varsity team was formed. A year later, in 1967, athletic director George Anderson, for whom the High field is named, became the varsity squad’s head coach. Since that year, the Blackhawks have had their ups and downs. It took the program 20 years to win a Tri Valley League championship (1987); during those two decades, 1-9 and 2-8 records were the norm.
 
The 1987 team had talent, excellent coaching and a desire to change the image of the program. It went 8-0-2 and its defense turned in six shutouts and held opponents to 36 points for the entire season. Then came the Super Bowl era in the 1990s and the early 2000s. Four Bowls were played and all four were won by the Blackhawks.
 
Not much success has occurred lately, but last year’s squad, led by coach Dan Haddad, compiled a 5-6 season, and appears intent on elevating the program.
 
Here’s a quiz designed to test your knowledge of Bellingham’s past achievements, its coaches and players.
 

1. Twelve coaches have directed Bellingham football teams in those 50 years. Name as many as you can.
2. Who was the quarterback of the 1987 team that won Bellingham’s first Tri Valley League title?
3. Who was the head coach of the 1987 title team?
4. BHS won four Super Bowls from 1993 to 2001. Who was the head coach?
5. Name the three quarterbacks who engineered the four Bowl victories.
6. Name the four schools that lost Super Bowls games to Bellingham.
7. Only one quarterback in the history of BHS football has played at the professional level. Who is he?
8. Name last year’s all-star running back who gained 546 yards rushing against Case High, setting a state record for yards gained from scrimmage.
9. This BHS quarterback graduated in 1974 and is now the principal at Douglas High School. When he played football at Bellingham, he had two seasons of 1,000 yards passing. And, when he coached at Ashland High, he led the Clockers to a Super Bowl championship and a state crown in baseball. Who is he?
10. True or false. When the Tri Valley League was formalized in 1966, Bellingham became one of the circuit’s original members.

 

ANSWERS

1. In order, the coaches are George Anderson, Bill Southworth, Tom Cataldo, Al Sperra, Don Johnson, Wally Quigg, Steve Knowlton, Chuck Missler, Dale Caparaso, Ted Rigney, Dan MacLean and Dan Haddad.
2. Andy Smith.
3. Chuck Missler.
4. Dale Caparaso.
5. Greg Smith, Justin Prophet and Rick Santos.
6. Marian, South Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, and Tyngsboro.
7. Rick Santos had a brief tryout as a free agent with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was released but later played in the Canadian Football League for the Montreal Alouettes. He has two Grey Cup rings, the equivalent of Super Bowl championship rings.
8. Zach Levy, who’ll be playing for Wagner College, a Division 1 school in New York.
9. Kevin Maines.
10. True.