Monique Nelson Reed -As
Co-Captain for the 1986 women's basketball squad, Monique was a NAIA
Academic All-American and honorable mention All-Conference selection
at Dakota State College. In 1985 she received the hardest worker
award while being named All-Conference in the SDIC. She received the
Most Improved player award in 1983.
She finished her career
at DSC fourth on both the career rebounds and single season
blocked shots lists. She finished 7th on the career list for
blocked shots, even though stats were kept only during her senior
season. Monique excelled off the court as well, she was a member
of the Dean's List, a Who's Who student and a Lowry Scholar. She
was part of the DSC Ambassadors, a member of Kappa Sigma Iota,
Vice President of the Math and Science Club and was involved with
interhall council. While at DSC she received several scholarships.
Since graduating,
Monique has been an active teacher. Her first teaching job was in
LeSueur, MN as a Science teacher. For tow years there she was also
the junior varsity and freshmen girl's basketball coach.
She has lived in Elk
point, SD since 1988, teaching chemistry at North High School in
Sioux City, IA. In 2000 she was named to Who's Who Among American
High School Teachers. Monique also teaches Sunday school, Bible
School and plays in the church band. She has also served on the
church council and church board of education.
Her and husband, Bret
Reed, have been married since July 1987. Together they have two
children, Kelly (8) and Cody (5).
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Pete Struwe graduated
from General Beadle Teachers College in 1951. While at GBTC Struwe
was a Tight End on the football team and a Guard/Forward on the
basketball squad. He was a four-year starter in both sports.
Pete recalls playing in a football game his senior year with a foot
of snow on the ground and a temperature of zero degrees. The game
was played against rival Sioux Falls College as the Trojans won
39-0. Being humble, Pete said he really didn't have anything to do
with the outcome of the game as Half-Back Robert Caselli scored all
39 points.
In
basketball, Struwe remembers a game against Black Hills State on
their home court. The Trojans won the game by one point on a last
second shot. Struwe remembers the game as a fluke.
After graduating, Struwe
spent two years in the military. His first teaching job was at
Chester from 1954-56. He then came back to Madison to teach and
coach basketball, football and track at General Beadle High School
until 1963.
In 1964 he began teaching at Madison Junior High School until he
retired in 1992. While at junior high, he coached football,
basketball and track. He also coached semi-pro baseball and
American Legion Baseball.
Struwe has
remained active at Dakota State, being a part of the chain-gang for
over 20 years at all home football games.
Pete was married to
Elaine Merager in 1954. Togerther they have three sons, Gregg,
Jeff and Todd, and six grandchildren.
<< Back
Eldor "Lars" Larson
came to General Beadle Teacher's College in 1947, wanting to get
playing experience to make him a better coach and teacher, which
would be his passion. Larson joined the basketball team, learning
techniques her would use as a coach. After just a year at General
Beadle, Larson graduated with a State Certificate, permitting him to
teach in the elementary school. He was offered a seventh and eighth
grade teaching and coaching position at Strandburg.
Larson coached the basketball team into the State "B" tournament his
first year there. In 1950 he decided to focus on getting his
bachelor's degree and came back to General Beadle. Four of his
players decided to join him. He was now playing beside the athletes
he had previously coached at Strandburg.
The five
played both football and basketball. Larson cracked three ribs in
the first football game against Dakota Wesleyan and broke his leg in
the final game of the season. After he recovered from his injuries
on the football field, Larson joined three of his former players on
the basketball court. It was one of the highlights of his playing
career to play along side the boys he had onced coached.
After
graduation in 1952, Larson went to South Shore to teach and coach.
In 1954 he became the superintendent. He traveled to Minnesota in
1960 and for the next 20 years he worked as a supe4rintendent at
several different school districts. After two heart attacks in 1981,
Eldor resigned from Park Rapids to find his way back to South
Dakota. Before retiring in 1989, Eldor served as superintendent,
elementary principal and boys and girls basketball coach at Midland.
Eldor currently resides
in Watertown with his wife Vivian of 53 years. Together they have
four sons and three daughters, along with 11 grandchildren, who
all reside in South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota.
<< Back
Dick Miller was a
four-year starter in both football and basketball, playing in every
game during his career. He was the all-time General Beadle Teacher's
College scorer, capping off his career in 1959 with 1,188 points and
an All-Conference selection. He held that record until 1961.
During his
football career at GBTC, Miller threw 26 touchdowns passes, was
co-captain in 1958 and voted the college's best athlete for the
1958-59 season.
After graduating, Miller coached high school basketball for 28 years
accumulating a varsity record of 448-201. He earned 13 Conference
Championships, 10 District Titles, three Region Titles, was named
District Coach of the year seven times and Regional Coach of the
Year twice.
He also coached varsity
football for 27 years, compiling a record of 188-63-3 with 26
winning seasons. Miller was voted North Dakota Athletic Director
of the Year in 1987 in Oakes, ND, where he retired in 1995.
He resides in Oakes, ND
with his wife of 31 years, Mary Zilch. Together they have three
children, Sara (Greg) Wohl, Betsy (Curt) Seter and Jay Miller and
three grandchildren, Mary Pat Seter, Maggie Seter and Marcus Wohl.
<< Back
1971 Boot Hill Bowl Team-
On December 4, 1971, the Dakota State College
football Trojans helped make history, as they were the first college
football team from South Dakota to ever win a post-season bowl game.
Tonight the team will again make history. This time as the first
athletic team to be inducted into the Dakota State University
Athletic Hall of Fame.
The game
was the Boot Hill Bowl, played at Memorial Stadium in Doge City,
Kansas against the Northwestern State College Rangers from Alva, OK.
The night was described as a snowy, chilly South Dakota Type evening
with an ice covered football field.
Northwest
Oklahoma was a full scholarship program. The Trojans feared they
wouldn't be able to match up to the bigger, quicker Rangers, giving
up a significant size and slight speed advantage to them. During the
first half, as the 20-3 score would indicate, the Trojans worst
fears were becoming a realization in being able to match up with
them.
Head coach
at the time, lee Moran indicated that the half time conversation
evolved around "The score was simply 30 minutes of football. There
were still 30 minutes remaining."
Inside the
locker room the team and coaches discussed all the efforts of the
alumni, the faculty and the DSU boosters who helped get them to the
ball game. In Moran's words, "We could go out and simply be
embarrassed or we could regroup and come out and play OUR 30 minutes
of football."
The
Trojans did just that as they showed that the early season goals
they had set, the strong chemistry throughout the entire team that
had evolved and the great leadership from within proved to be
stronger than their opponent in the second half.
The
Trojans took advantage of a few breaks, gaining confidence they
could beat the Rangers. The kicking game became a strong suit
throughout the second half, and the punting game helped the Trojans
gain field position.
The
Trojans total team effort defense forced several key turnovers in
the second half. They defensive coaches kept fresh players on the
field to give the offense a shot at scoring points.
The
Trojans were now in a position to look to its playmakers and go for
the big play. They play, a "pro right 90" was called with the ball
on the Trojan 20 yard line. the offensive line gave game MVP,
quarterback Daryl Fletcher, a 6'0'' 185 lbs sophomore from Hartford,
SD enough time to take a three-step drop and find flanker, Darwin
Robinson, a 6'2'' 180 lbs sophomore from Redfield as he cut to the
post after a 10-yard route. "This was definitely the play of the
game," recalled Moran.
The win
capped truly a great season for this group of Trojans, as it was the
highlight of their careers. "Pulling together, as a tea, and pulling
off this huge upset, has never been forgotten and will always be
remembered as a total team effort," Moran concluded.
The Boot
Hill Bowl Champion Trojans posted a 9-2 record that season, which
found them ranked as high as number seven in the national rankings.
Several team members garnered SDIC All-Conference honors including
defensive back Pat Behrns, a 5'11" 185 lbs junior from David City,
NE; running back Mike Reed, a 6'0" 190 lbs sophomore from Sioux
City, IA; and tight end Dan Stratton, 6'3" 215 lbs junior from
Wentworth, SD.
In just
his second season with the Trojans, Moran was named NAIA Football
Coach of the Year.
