Wayne Tjernagel, Nevada '64, who attended Milford Twp until its closing in 1961 when he was a freshman, is one of the outstanding basketball players to ever come from the Milford Township community. He lived 2 miles east and 1 1/4 north of the Milford Twp school.
Following the consolidation, he played three years as a start- er for the Nevada Cubs and graduated in 1964. Wayne was a key player for some of the most memo- rable seasons in Ne- vada Cub history. The 1961-'62 season they won 22 of 24 games starting with a win over Marshalltown (70-50), the 1961 State Champs under the direction of Ev Cochrane (Milford Twp `54, `55, `56) (Ev had commented it would be a rough game knowing many of the Nevada Team were Milford players. Sophomore Wayne Tjernagel, with ten seniors, including Milford players Gary Brooks, Arlen Twedt and Bruce Strother were on the traveling squad. Almost the entire 2nd team of the varsity squad was from Milford Twp). Don King was the Nevada HS Coach at this time. As a Soph he was on the Nevada Cubs 1st team and they were the Story Co. Champs and the Hawk- eye Central 8 Champs.
In the 1963-64 season the Nevada Cubs lost their opener to top-ranked Waterloo West, then won all the rest of their games before losing in the district tournament to Ames.
Wayne was the second-leading scorer in the state his senior basketball season. Nevada posted a 54-8 record during his three years. Wayne was named on the 2nd All State IHSAA Basketball Team as a senior after being named to he 5th All State team as a junior.
In 2000 Wayne was selected one of 15 players to be named to an All-Star Nevada High School Basketball Team which included the players from the first 75 years of Nevada High School. In 2001 Wayne was added to the Nevada Hall of Fame. Obviously an oversight of earlier selections.
Wayne went on to become a starter on Iowa State's only undefeated freshmen team. He was an accountable player for the Cyclones, not only lettering for three years at ISU, he received the Senior Scholastic Award in 1968.
Following graduation he continued playing AAU basketball in the Nevada area. His teammates included some lads from Milford Twp. Wayne scored as many as 54 points in those contests around the Story County area.
Following graduation from Iowa State, Wayne taught and coached at Edgewood, Iowa, where he met his wife, Susan. They have two children, Don and Amy. Since 1975 he made a name for himself with the insurance business he has owned in the Fairbanks, Iowa area.
Missy Robinson '86N Borton(Mrs Todd), was also inducted into the Nevada HoF- in 2004 as a softball player.
Shirley Groomes '58 Bauge (Mrs Vernon), is one of the local prestigious bowlers. She also served as the Area - Ames, Nevada, Story City, Jewell- Association Secretary for 10 years. Shirley lived with her aunt Ethel and Floyd Davis a mile and a third east of the School while attending Milford.
William E. `Bill' Swim, born in White City on Oct 30, 1905, to Wm and Margaret Saunders Swim, was a graduate of William Penn College and Drake University. He began his teaching career in Colo in 1934. Between Fall 1945-Spring1948 he served as Supt at Milford Twp Cons School and also coached both the Jr. High and Senior High Boys and Girls. In 1948 he entered the Cedar Rapids School System as a teacher. Before his retirement he served as elementary school principal at Tyler and Polk Schools between 1950-'71 and later in the Marion School District. His 63 year marriage ended with the death of his wife Margaret in 2000 and he died in May of 2003 at 97.
During his tenure as Supt and Coach at Milford Twp he coached the 1946-'47 boys to winning season with 20 wins in 24 games and gained 2nd place in both the Story County Tournament and the Sectionals.
While at Milford Twp, he and his wife, Margaret, were active members of the community with their young family, Barbara, Joan, and Bill.
His daughter, Barbara's, husband, Bill Brousard, was inducted in 2008 into the IHSAA Hall of Fame for Officials because of his 40 year record of officiating. Bill Brousard was also an Elementary Principal in the Cedar Rapids School system.
Mr Swim was inducted into the Penn College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Ol' Milford farmer observe over the years; Few trust an official spokesman, but everybody believes an unidentified source.