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HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Memories fresh

50 years later, 1960 title team will be honored

By Travis Lazarczyk tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com
Staff Writer

WINSLOW -- Fifty years since his last high school football game, Danny Pelletier still knows the mindset he had every time he took the field for Winslow High School.

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THEY’RE BACK: The 1960 Winslow football team, which went 8-0 and won the Class B state title will be honored at Saturday’s game. Team members pictured are: (from left) Dave Blair, Larry Dugal, Randy Huard and Danny Pelletier; and in front Coach Wally LaFountain.

Staff photo by David Leaming

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Belfast at Winslow
When: 1:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Poulin Field, Winslow

"I decided, I'm going to be a winner," Pelletier said. "Just the thought of losing was hateful to me."

In the fall of 1960, Pelletier and his Black Raiders teammates did nothing but win. Winslow went 8-0 that season and won the Class B state championship, its second in three years.

Winslow will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the 1960 championship team by honoring the players before Saturday's game against Belfast at 1:30 p.m. at Poulin Field. The 1960 team will attend the team breakfast with this year's Black Raiders in the morning.

"I think it's always the goal for any coach or team to win a championship, but we worked hard for it," said Randy Huard, who played fullback.

Wally LaFountain, who coached the 1960 team and organized Saturday's reunion, said 12 players have confirmed their attendance, but he expects and welcomes more.

A few of the Black Raiders had been members of the 1958 team that went 7-0-1 and won the state championship. In 1959, the team went 5-3, and the Black Raiders were disappointed in the season.

"I thought we should have won three in a row," Pelletier, a running back, said. "We had the guys to do it, but the dedication and hard work wasn't there (in 1959)."

Winslow opened the season with a close 12-7 win over Cony.

"I remember Cony was a huge team. They had a big line," Dave Blair, a guard, said.

The Black Raiders then reeled off blowout wins over Lawrence (34-13), Madison (32-6) and Waterville (32-7) before a 26-19 win over Gardiner.

"After the Cony game is when it jelled together... The guys I played with, they were dependable," Pelletier said. "When they blocked for me, I knew there would be a hole there."

They also never got a break. Huard remembered playing on offense, defense and special teams, and he wasn't alone.

"None of us got any rest," Huard said. "I don't remember getting to the sideline, except to get my (butt) peeled out once in a while."

A 34-6 win over Brunswick set up a big game against a strong Brewer team. In the closest game of the season, Winslow took a 14-13 win.

"Boy, did they hit hard," Huard said.

The Black Raiders closed the season with a 32-13 win over Skowhegan.

That season still comes up in conversation from time to time.

"I've got four grandsons, and I've told them all about it," Larry Dugal, a guard, said.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com