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REMEMBER WHEN…

Messenger file photo The 1980 Fort Dodge state wrestling championship team poses together after winning their title.

There was a sign on Don Miller’s door that read, “God. Family. Wrestling.”

In 1980, the Dodger wrestling team lived by that mantra.

Fort Dodge created a culture that blossomed into a state championship that season. Now, even 40 years later, it’s still the structure that holds the Fort Dodge wrestling program together.

On March 1, 1980, the Dodgers won the first of the school’s first title since 1941 with a group that stuck together like brothers under the watchful eye of their coach.

“We lived by those three aspects and the kids bought into it. God. Family. Wrestling. That is a statement that stays with you, to help keep your life in order. (Former FDSH standout) Dave Ewing even has a tattoo of it,” Miller said. “When we started, I told parents I was more or less adopting these kids, and the parents agreed to it.

“Those kids were so close. They wouldn’t allow less than the best out of anyone in practice. It was a fail-safe feature of this group. Everyone looked after everyone else.”

The Dodgers cultivated a culture and everyone jumped on board.

“Paul Porter was our super-heavyweight, and he was a big boy,” Miller said. “Everyone had to run a certain number (of reps) in the hallways before coming back in the room. Never once die Paul quit before he did what he was asked.

“He wasn’t going to allow himself to do anything less than anyone else.”

Everyone bought into Miller’s methods and he had different ways to get the most out of his wrestlers.

“We put music in our room while having a tough practice,” Miller said. “When you start hearing music, it helps get your mind going.

“The mind can take more than the body. If the mind is in shape, than the body can do anything. Our opponents never beat us by being in better physical or mental shape; we were going to go six minutes and six minutes hard.”

Getting everyone to be on the same page was the task of Miller, who took over the program in 1970 and was at the helm until 1987. Miller had to find a way to get with a mix of seniors, juniors, sophomores and one talented freshman together.

“You have to motivate every group, but with these kids, I just had to get them to believe they were tough,” Miller said. “You can say you believe this, but if you’re told you are over and over again, then you know you are.

“(Current FDSH head coach) Bobby Thompson was a freshman at the time, and there was just something about him. I knew he could be tough, and he adopted that. We had goals to win the conference and win the state title — that was our mindset.

“Once you believe, ‘you can’t beat me, and the coach believes — here come the Dodgers.”

Fort Dodge ran through the regular season, compiling a 10-1 record and losing only to state champion Algona (25-18 in a dual). They were second at the Eagle Grove Invitational, while winning the Humboldt, Dodger and Ames Invitationals and the district meet.

Fort Dodge sent eight to the state meet, with seven earning state medals. Heading into the medal round of state, the Dodgers trailed 58- points to 56.

FDSH accumulated 41 points on Saturday to comfortably claim the crown with 99 points — well ahead of Friday leader Cedar Rapids Prairie (76.5).

Seniors Tommy Thompson (119) and Dave Ewing (145) were state runner-ups. Bobby Thompson (98) was third as a rookie. Porter (S-HWT), a junior, also captured bronze.

Senior Ed Birnbaum (112) was fourth, while junior Matt Summers (105) and sophomore Ted Camamo (155) both took sixth. Senior Jon Yoder was a qualifier.

Dave Heatherington (126), Kevin Lunn (132), Jim Sturdevent (167), Bill Reed (185), Scott Nerhus (HWT), Ray Rozalez (126), Tim Allbee (126), Brian Hansen (132), Tim Portz (132), Jeff Johnson (155), Don Ewing (167) and Howard Larson (167) were the other team members that season.

“We knew we weren’t bad, but didn’t know how good we actually were. Turns out, we had some bonafide studs,” Miller said. “We didn’t even have a state champion, but everyone wrestled to their potential down there (in Des Moines) and everyone contributed.”

Even halfway through Saturday with a seemingly-comfortable lead, Miller wasn’t sold on the Dodgers clearing the hurdle until he talked with then-Messenger Sports Editor Bob Brown.

“I will never forget talking to Brownie. He came over to me and said, ‘well, I think you have this one in the bag.’ I told him it’s not over until the fat lady sings. He responded by saying, ‘well Don, I think she is headed to the mic.'”

“Sure enough, we won the darn thing.”

For Miller the determination and family atmosphere in the wrestling room was encapsulated by a picture in a newspaper.

“There was a picture in the Chicago Tribune that never left my mind. On the front page of their sports section, was an 8×10 photo of a Fort Madison wrestler against Dave Ewing. The Fort Madison wrestler had Dave up in the air, hanging around his neck.

“The caption read, ‘by the way, Ewing got the pin in 4:59.’ We just didn’t have an ounce of quit in us.”

The bond that was built in that wrestling room still keeps these Dodgers close today. Miller remains in contact with everyone from that group.

“Oh, yeah — I talk to all the kids on team. Dave, Eddy and even the ones that weren’t ‘stars,”’ Miller said. “All are still 18 (years old) in my mind, and they still call me ‘Coach.’

“I talk to Bobby and keep an eye on what he’s doing with this Dodger group. I talk to some on Facebook. I went to Eagle Grove, but I’ve been a Dodger since 1970 — 50 years. I am loyal to Eagle Grove of course, but I bleed red and black.

“Once a Dodger always a Dodger.”

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