Mount Ayr High School

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Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 6/3/2009 at 04:41:47

MOUNT AYR HIGH SCHOOL

J. W. WILKERSON, principal of Mount Ayr School from 1886 to 1895, and Adam PICKETT, Mount Ayr principal from 1900 to 1908, were a major influences the school's progression into prominence. The school refused to join the athletic leagues of larger schools so that the students could continue to participate in games with other Ringgold County pupils attending area smaller schools.

From Mount Ayr's 1914 Ayrian, it is noted, "With the end of the sophomore days came the end of the days spent in the old schoolhouse. The old building was torn down to make room for the elegant present structur. For lack of a better home in the fall of 1912, high school assembled in the old opera house. Classes were held upstairs in the SIMPSON building. The class of 1914 had dwindled to only about half its former number, which was 16."

The Schoolman's Club of Ringgold County was organized in 1925, an outgrowth of the early annual teacher's meetings and Normal School. This organization became the policy maker with regard to the county's cooperative educational system. The organization also supervised the county's basketball and baseball tournaments, the county youth conference, the county elementary reading and spelling contest, and the county music festival.

The first Ringgold County Music Festival was held on April 22, 1936 in the Mount Ayr Methodist Church. 225 student musicians from the county's ten high schools participated. In 1936, 500 student musicians participated in the festival.

An addition to the Mount Ayr High School was made in 1936 to provide a auditorium and gymnasium for the 500+ pupils. The old portion of the school was remodeled at the same time.

Mount Ayr includes the previous schools of Beaconsfield, Benton, Clinton Township, Delphos, Ellston, Maloy, Redding, & Tingley. As the other town school closed throughout the county, students from Redding, Delphos, Kellerton, Maloy, Benton, Tingley, Ellson, Beaconsfield, and some pupils from Taylor County, attended classes at Mount Ayr's schools after the rural district re-organization in 1958.. Clearfield has a whole grade share of secondary-level students. 7th - 12th grade students from Diagonal attended high school in the morning hours.

When a bond issue of $3.5 million passed in February of 1979, construction of new elementary and junior high buildings were completed in 1981. At this time, new track, football, softball, baseball, and bus garage facilities were also completed.

BOYS' BASKETBALL
In 1915, Mount Ayr's boys shut out Humeston, 34-0.

In 1916, team captain Harry SPURRIER led Mount Ayr to a record of 11 wins. The team made it to Iowa State Tournament, losing once to Osceola in the south central Iowa championship game.

The first Ringgold County Boys' Basketball Tournament was held February 28 - March 1st, 1919, at the Mount Ayr high school gymnasium.

At the 2nd Ringgold County Boy's Basketball Tournament, Delphos defeated Mount Ayr, claiming the championship 41-18.

For the 1922 Ringgold County Basketball Tournament, the games were played at Arispe due to severe winter weather, bad roads, and a small pox epidemic which swept through western Ringgold County. Mount Ayr's team rallied, winning the 1923 championship, defeating Diagonal 18-14. Mount Ayr's guard DEFENBAUGH was named to the all-county's first team in 1923.

Mount Ayr lost the 1924 championship to Delpho's team led by Coach "Pop" VARNER, the final score being 22-21.

Mount Ayr fought Kellerton for the 1925 championship. At half-time, Mount Ayr was in the lead, 3-2 with neither team scoring in the second quarter. Kellerton rallied in the second half, scoring 11 points to Mount Ayr's 10. Mount Ayr's guard LESAN was named to the all-county first team.

Mount Ayr's boys had a record of 17-7 for the 1930-31 season. They suffered defeat from Benton at the county tournament, but came back to win over Bedford, claiming the sectional championship title. They defeated Chariton and Melcher to claim the district tournament and went on to play at the Iowa State Tournament where they faced an old rival - Diagonal. Mount Ayr defeated Diagonal in first round play but lost to Muscatine in the second-round.

In 1933 Ringgold County Tournament, Diagonal claimed the county championship title over Mount Ayr, 16-15. Mount Ayr's RUSK was the high scorer for the Raiders. Diagonal came back to claim the 1934 title once again over Mount Ayr, 23-20.

Mount Ayr's RUSH and ILTIS were named to the all-tournament first team.

Upon the completion of a new gymnasium in 1936, Mount Ayr hosted the 1937 Ringgold County Tournament and remained the host for most of the remaining tournament years. Programs were introduced for the first time, indicating team colors, a roster of players, teams' season records, a tournament schedule, and of course, sponsors of the program. During the championship game, a blizzard blew in, forcing the teams and spectators to find refuge in Mount Ayr's town hall, the courthouse, the school, cafes and private homes until Sunday.

Mount Ayr lost the 1938 championship to Maloy, 39-21.

Mount Ayr's NEWMAN was named to 1939's all-tournament first team.

Mount Ayr hosted the 1940 Ringgold County Tournament with the programs distributed free of charge courtesy of the local business men.

Mount Ayr lost the 1941 championship title to Diagonal, 30-28. Mount Ayr's Raiders were DAILY, WILSON, ROBINSON, BEVINGTON, and BAGLEY. After the tournament expenses were paid, each school received $43.

Diagonal once again claimed the championship title from Mount Ayr, 51-32 at the 1943 Ringgold County Tournament. Bill RUSK scored 15 points for the Raiders during the championship game.

Mount Ayr's Raiders rallied, claiming the 1944 championship title over Diagonal, 43-23. This was the Raiders' first county title in 21 years - 1923. RUSK and BRYANT were leading scorers for the Raiders. The Raiders went on to win the championship title of the Blue Grass Conference Tournament.

Although Mount Ayr's captain Dave IRVING saw limited play due to a leg injury in the 1945 championship game, the Raiders defeated Redding 35-21 and claimed the championship title. The Raiders also won the Class A Sectional Tournament of 1945.

Mount Ayr's Raiders lost to Tingley in overtime play, coming in at 4th place during the 1946 Ringgold County Tournament.

With five lead changes in the last four minutes of overtime play, Mount Ayr lost the 1947 championship title to Diagonal, 34-33. "Pop" VARNER was the Raiders' coach, suffering defeat to one of his former players, G. Dale HERRINGTON, coach for Diagonal's Maroons.

Mount Ayr came back to defeat Diagonal 40-33, claiming the 1948 championship title. Raiders PRENTIS was Mount Ayr's high scorer.

After winning the championship title from Redding 61-32 at the 1949 tournament, Mount Ayr accepted the trophy from Vera DICKENS, Ringgold County school superintendent. Cliff TEALE was the high scorer for Mount Ayr.

Mount Ayr won the third consecutive championship during the 1950 tournament, defeating Maloy 55-18. Claire EASTON was the team captain and Cliff TEALE scored 33 points for the Raiders during their first-round play against Beaconsfield.

During tournament play in 1951, Mount Ayr lost to Diagonal, 49-47. Team co-captains were Dick REYNOLDS and Hank SMITH.

Raiders' Coach Omer Clay "Pop" VARNER, was forced into retirement after suffering from a stroke in 1952. The 1953 Ringgold County Tournament presented a special tribute to Coach VARNER. He was presented with a trophy, inscribed "To Pop VARNER, Dean of Iowa Class B basketball, in deep appreciation of his able teaching, sense of fair play and oustanding coaching contribution to our community and the State of Iowa."

Mount Ayr won the 1953 championship title over Benton, 93-46 with Earl PICKENS the leading scorer for the Raiders. Joe McNEILL was the coach for the Raiders, also experiencing success for with Mount Ayr's baseball and football teams.

Mount Ayr claimed the 1954 county championship over Beaconsfield, 83-60. Carroll JOHNSTON was the Raiders' leading scorer.

The Raiders claimed the 1955 championship by defeating Redding 60-58. The Raiders entered into the county tournament with a 11-2 record, both of those losses to West Des Moines' Dowling Catholic High School. The win of 1955 was Mount Ayr's third tournament title in a row. It was also their last county championship title.

During the history of Ringgold County's Basketball Tournament, Mount Ayr won nine titles.

The Raiders won the Tall Corn Conference championship title in 1963, setting a record for the most points scored in a game, 133 against Lenox. Jerry WAUGH set the record forthe most rebounds in a single game, 36, and scored the most points in a season, 482.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL
Mount Ayr's girls' basketball team of 1914, consisting of 6 players, had a season record of 0-2, losing to Afton and Grant City. Most of their games had been cancelled due to bad weather and poor traveling conditions.

The girls' team of 1915 traveled with the boys' team to Ellston for a doubleheader. Because the roads were impassable, the team traveled by bobsled. Mount Ayr's girls tied with Ellston, 9-9. Ellston's boys defeated Mount Ayr, 17-13.

In 1916, the girls won three games and lost two. They defeated Afton, 6-3, on December 17.

At some time there was a tragic accident which brought about the dissolution of the girl's basketball team. There was a team in 1931, but all play was interclass games.

Lynn OBERMEIER was the high scorer for Mount Ayr's Raiderettes with 418 points.

The starters for the 1965 Raiderettes team was Julie HALEY, Leona MINNICK, Linda HARTMAN, Nancy DUFTY, Nancy WEEDA, and Lois REASONER.

BOYS' FOOTBALL

Harry KNAPP was Mount Ayr's football coach who led the team to an unbeaten season of 10-0 in 1932. Mount Ayr outscored their opponents with a total of 257-6. Team members included letterman Howard BUCK, Roy PAYNE, John McFARLAND, Eugene MOSIER, and Linden MORRIS. Captain PAYNE was selected by The Des Moines Register as an all-state center on the first team. The Register also selected MOSIER, McFARLAND, and MORRIS with honorable mentions.

In 1943, team members Tom TEALE, Don GUTHRIE, and Vernon McGAHUEY were selected for the all-conference team.

The 1945 Mount Ayr football team under Coach Jim CHAMPLIN were Bill JOHNSTON, Carroll McANINCH, Bob ROE, Dave IRVING, Bob TEALE, and Bill BRYAN. THe team members were all named to the first all-conference team.

Walter KNICH was Mount Ayr's football coach of 1946 with team members Clair EASON, Jack BRABY, Don BETHARDS, Jim SKINNER, Vern HACKER, Jim MONAGHAN, Charles SAVILLE, Ray PRENTIS, Howard BRYAN, Robert TOLAND, Bill PRATT, Edward KNIGHT, Harold FROST, Laurance BISHOP, Allen RICHARDS, Stan SMITH, Jim BRABY, Ivan DOLECHECK, Gerold WILLEY, Don EURITT, Dock LINDSTROM, John RUCKMAN, Melvin INGRAM, Jim EASON, Loren CAMPBELL, Charles RICHARDS, and manager Cliff TEALE. The team won all eight of their games and placed first in the Bluegrass Conference.

The 1951 team was co-captained by Dean FROST and Gene SICKELS. The team won six games, lost two, and tied one.

1961 co-captains were Bill WARIN and Gary KEPLINGer with Joe McNEILL, coach, who was named as The Des Moines Register prep football coach of the year. All-conference seniors from Mount Ayr were quarterback Dave STILL, co-captain Dale STEPHENS, co-captain Gene RICKER, Rick DEFENBAUGH, Joe BROWN, Don GEPNER, Ed PINE, Ronnie WOOD, and Rick FARRELL.

In 1965, the Tall Corn all-conference stars from Mount Ayr were Barry MONGAHAN, Gale MILLER, Keith SACKETT, and Dan COULSON.

GOLF

In 1964 Kenny MARKLEY placed first at the Mount Ayr junior boys' tournament and at the Bedford junior boy's tournament.

TRACK and FIELD
In 1956 Charles BLACK set the record for the mile with a time of 4:39.2.

Mount Ayr won the Tall Corn conference title in 1963 with outstanding athletes Rick DEFENBAUGH and Gene RICKER under the guidance of Coach Chet ROED.

Mount Ayr set eight new records in 1963.

In 1965, the track team won the Tall Corn Conference and placed second in both the state Class A outdoor and indoor events. Eugene RICKER and Rick DEFENBAUGH set three records each with many others which were broken.

WRESTLING

The 1965 Raiders won the conference championship, undefeated in 8 meets. Four of Mount Ayr's wrestlers finished first in the district tournament to move on to state tournament: Pat IRVING (17-3-2), Dennis STEPHENS (17-3), Jerry KNIGHT (21-1) and Jim DILLENBURG (15-6).

SOURCES:
Mount Ayr Record-News, Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa, February 10, 2007

Ringgold County History Complied and written by the Iowa Writers' Program of the Work Projects Administration in the State of Iowa, Sponsored by Ringgold County Superintendent of Schools, Mount Ayr, Iowa. 1942.

AVITT, Mike. Pages and Pictures from the Past. . .Ringgold County, Iowa 1855-2005 Pp. 60-8. Paragon Publications, Inc. Mount Ayr. 2009.

Compilation by Sharon R. Becker, June of 2009